The Importance Of Legal Representation Nurses

By April Briggs


We all require advice, guidance or defense related to law from time to time. Professionals are mandated by law to abide by certain procedures and stipulations during their practice. Nursing like any other profession is liable to legal risk and need advice or defense in a court of law or a disciplinary board. Legal representation nurses are as important as the practice of nursing to nurses.

In the workplace, it is important for nurses to know and understand their rights. Lawyers are especially useful in helping nurses understand the stipulations of the law about an issue of concern in the workplace. For instance, when one is forced to work overtime, or have blown the whistle on dangerous physicians, derogatory supervisors or wrongful discharge, attorneys provide both advice and representation if need be.

Often, nurses receive complaints from their professional practice from patients, hospital management or other staff. In such cases, hiring a lawyer ensures that your interests are protected. For example, if testifying at a Coroners inquest, an attorney will help prepare the testimony to ensure that your rights and interests prevail.

Nurses may also require legal advice when it comes to Human Rights claims and employment contract reviews and renewal of licenses. As mentioned above, attorneys also help nurses with their defense if accused of malpractice or negligence or any other workplace-related occurrence. They do so before the Board of Nursing as well as a court of law.

Proper representation begins with the right lawyer. The right lawyer should be familiar with administrative and nursing law. He or she should also have experience with cases similar to yours to properly argue your case. Look into the reputation of the lawyers law firm to determine his or her credibility. Also, ask lots of questions regarding their level of experience in similar cases.

Nurses have various options for funding legal representation. Some regions have nursing associations that provide financial aid when one of their members is in trouble. The membership and terms may vary between organizations, and some are required to pay a fee. Another option is to take insurance cover. For instance, malpractice is inexpensive and can cover nurses such that when they are sued for malpractice they have adequate and quality defense.

It is imperative that you handle a work-related concern in the right way. First, know and understand all there is to know about the particular problem. Check the laws, ethical guidelines, policies and standards to ensure that there is a problem at hand. If not sure of the law in place, confirm from a reliable source. The next step is to voice your concerns with the administration and let your concerns be addressed.

If you feel that the administration will not effectively handle the situation, you may ask the unions, nurses association or the nurse attorneys association for help. Whichever way you handle the situation, always ensure that every step is guided by reason and appropriate legal procedures.




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