There is no denying that there is a nursing shortage across the country. It is estimated that there is a need for approximately one million new nurses to enter the national workforce over the next couple of years in order to prevent an even more critical nursing shortage than already exists.

There are a number of reasons cited for this shortage, including the high number of nurses who have retired. Another issue is that many nursing schools are forced to turn away thousands of qualified applicants because they lack the space, resources, and faculty. The COVID-19 pandemic was also a major factor, resulting in burnout, high turnovers, and unfilled positions.

These staffing shortages have resulted in nurses being forced to work long shifts without adequate time off in high-pressure, intense environments. It is understandable that mistakes can happen in these situations and when they do, a nurse can face disciplinary action by the Board of Nursing.

Whether you are a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or other professional, your journey of education and training, obtaining your degree, to finally obtaining that professional license that will enable you to work in your chosen profession is a long and hard one. Unfortunately, that application process can put an unexpected roadblock in your journey if the board that issues your license rejects your application. There are a number of issues that can result in a license application denial. Knowing what those issues are prior to applying for your professional license may enable you to be proactive and contact a professional license defense attorney.

Application Errors

The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) has stringent rules and regulations in all aspects of professional licenses, including the application process. The majority of applications include a statement made under the penalties of perjury that all of the information contained in the application is correct. Thus, if an applicant makes an unintentional error in their application, that sworn statement tells the board the error was not a mistake. Having a professional license defense attorney assist you with the application will ensure that all of the “t’s” are crossed and all of the “i’s” are dotted.

Failure to Disclose

A common issue in professional license application denials is that the applicant fails to disclose information. Although this can be an unintentional failure to disclose, the board could think that it was intentional on the applicant’s part in order to hide derogatory information. The truth is that failing to disclose the information can often be more of a problem than the issue itself. A professional license defense attorney can help you determine what information you are required to disclose.

 There is always a risk for a professional license holder that someone will make an allegation that could trigger an investigation by the licensing board that issued the license. The investigation results and the decision of the board could mean that the individual will be unable to work at their profession. The steps you take from the moment you are aware of the complaint can determine the eventual outcome. The following are things you should avoid doing. A Chicago professional license defense attorney can provide more details about your particular situation.

Failing to Disclose Potential Issues

If you are applying for a new Illinois professional license or renewing your current one, the law requires full disclosure on the following issues:

• Unsatisfied debt

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There are a number of professional and legal issues that can have an impact on an Illinois professional license. Whether you are a medical professional, business professional, real estate professional, or any other professional license holder, any allegations of improprieties, negligence, or criminal behavior will result in a notification from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) that your license is at stake.

A notification from the board that issues your license may lead you to ask if you need an attorney to represent you. The following is a brief overview of why you should strongly consider retaining the services of a professional license defense attorney, like those at Williams & Nickl, LLC, to defend your license.

Skilled and Experienced in Developing a Defense Strategy

One of the biggest mistakes that a subject of a licensing board investigation can make is to speak with the investigator overseeing their case. This is the equivalent of a person who is under criminal investigation speaking to a police officer without their attorney present. Despite the approach the investigator may take with you, they are not your ally, and they are not interested in hearing your version of events.

The New Year not only brings resolutions for many people, it also brings new laws. One of those new laws in Illinois will affect every licensed healthcare professional in the state. As of January 1, every licensee will be required to complete a one-hour course in implicit bias awareness. This course will be part of the required medical education the state requires.

What Is Implicit Bias?

Racial disparities are present in employment, education, housing, and multiple other areas in this country. Many people may not even be aware of their part in it. This is referred to as implicit bias. Implicit bias is a term used to describe the unconscious prejudice a person may feel about a person, group, or thing. The biases can be either favorable or unfavorable. The feelings are triggered without the person’s awareness, completely involuntarily. According to professionals who have studied the issue, implicit biases cannot be addressed through introspection since they are unknown to the individual.

Implicit biases can occur when the individual meets new people, interacts with other employees, or even in their interactions with other parents at their children’s baseball games.