Registered Nurse License Defense Services

Our Illinois RN License Defense Services

As a registered nurse (RN), you know you have to uphold certain standards and practices. If you face accusations that you’ve violated those standards, you may face discipline to your nursing license.

Work with the experts at Williams & Nickl if you’re in such a situation. 

We’ll determine your options for defending against disciplinary action by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) and/or the Illinois Board of Nursing.

Disciplinary Issues for RNs

The Illinois Board of Nursing licenses and regulates you as an RN. You may face disciplinary action to your license for a variety of reasons:

• Unethical or unprofessional conduct
• Sexual misconduct
• Negligence in nursing practice
• Sister-state discipline to a nursing license
• Failure to remain current on child support or other financial obligations
• Violations of care, counseling and treatment (CCT) agreements
• Physical and/or mental impairment
• Violations of state and/or federal confidentiality statutes
• Criminal convictions and/or DUI arrests
• Drug diversion and/or substance abuse

Please note this is not a fully comprehensive list.

Our Understanding of the Issues Affecting You

Multiple statutes, rules and regulations apply to the nursing practice and the procedures followed when addressing licensing issues. 

We’re well-versed in the Illinois Nurse Practice Act (225 ILCS 65, et. seq.) and the Rules for the Administration of the Nurse Practice Act (68 ILAC 1300, et. seq.). 

We also understand how the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois (20 ILCS 2105/2105-1, et. seq.) and the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act (5 ILCS 100/1-1, et. seq.) address the processes involved in IDFPR investigations and hearings. 

With our deep knowledge of the law and extensive experience representing licensed professionals, we’ll help you determine how to achieve the best possible outcome in your case.

What To Do and How We Help

If you’re facing disciplinary action, contact us to determine your options before taking any further steps:

• Meeting with an IDFPR prosecutor
• Turning over information
• Surrendering your license

We’ll meet with you to review your case, assess your needs and determine your best defense options when these situations apply:

• Someone has filed a formal complaint against you.
• You’ve received a Notice of Informal Conference, Notice of Preliminary Hearing or Notice of Intent to Refuse to Renew from the IDFPR.

No matter how serious the allegations, we’ll work with you to present mitigating evidence. We always advocate for you to achieve an outcome that minimizes negative impact on your career. 

We provide a free one-hour consultation, either in person, over the phone or online via Zoom. During our meeting, we’ll explain the potential forms of discipline you may face and the actions you can take to protect your RN license. 

Why Enlist Williams & Nickl?

Our attorneys at Williams & Nickl have over 55 years of combined experience in prosecuting and defending professional licenses in Illinois. 

Attorney Ed Williams was the former chief of prosecutions for the IDFPR. He and Attorney Fred Nickl represented more than 3,000 licensed professionals before the IDFPR. 

We are distinctly suited to assist RNs, nurse applicants and other medical professionals in license defense cases. We’ve successfully represented a wide variety of licensed professionals who were facing license discipline, including nurses. 

In one case, we defended a former Marine who faced the suspension of his nursing license after being convicted of reckless discharge of a firearm. After taking the case to trial, we convinced the Illinois Board of Nursing and the administrative law judge to issue a simple reprimand — the lowest possible level of discipline.

Contact Us

Facing discipline to your RN license is daunting — and we’ve got your back. In many cases, we can help you avoid any public discipline to your license. 

Contact us online, or call 312-335-9470 to schedule your free consultation.