Examples Of Violations of Boundaries By Nurses

Nurses in Texas can risk losing their licenses for a variety of reasons, ranging from falsification of documents to sexual misconduct, theft to substance abuse (including DUI charges).

All of the offenses listed above are fairly clear-cut violations of the Nurse Practice Act, which every nurse agrees to follow, in order to receive a license to practice in Texas.

But what about “violation of boundaries,” this catch-all category that often catches nurses off-guard. How can you do your job every day with compassion, empathy, and connection, without crossing the line? It’s often easier said than done.

In nursing, professional boundaries are limits, designed with the idea in mind that there’s an imbalance between the power of the nurse and the susceptibility of the patient. In short, patients are vulnerable and need to have extra protections in place to ensure that the professional relationship doesn’t morph into a personal relationship.

Examples Of Violations Of Boundaries

Below are examples of potential violations of boundaries by nurses:

• accepting gifts from patients or family members
• giving gifts to patients
• romantic relationships with patients (regardless of who initiated the relationship)
• violation of HIPPA health privacy regulations
• disclosure of personal information about a patient
• revealing too much personal information about yourself
• conflicts of interest
• over-involvement with patients
• doing something that’s not in the best interest of a patient
• being overly friendly or overly familiar
• favoritism of one patient over others

Complaints Filed For Violations Of Boundaries By Nurses

Anyone who perceives that there has been a violation of boundaries by a nurse can file a complaint with the Texas Board of Nursing (BON), which then initiates an investigation. Patients, family of patients, employers, employees, co-workers, colleagues, and anyone else who has a concern about a nurse can go online and file a complaint with the BON, and their identity will be kept confidential.

Even what might seem like a minor allegation against you can turn into a big problem, potentially jeopardizing your license and your career.

If you’ve received a notice from the board of nursing or are worried about something that might result in a complaint, please contact us immediately.

As an experienced nurses attorney, Kevin Keaney can help you with all aspects of defending your nursing license, including the nursing board investigation and the settlement (known as “Agreed Orders”).

For more information about violation of boundaries for nurses, or to schedule a free consultation with a nurses attorney, please call (512) 829-5619, or e-mail contact@nursesattorneytexas.com. Note that the free consultation is ONLY for professional licensing matters.

Note: Kevin Keaney is an experienced nurses attorney who has been practicing for more than 30 years. Prior to becoming a lawyer, Kevin earned his BSN from the University of Texas Austin and worked as a nurse for four years. He is a member of The American Association of Nurse Attorneys and is licensed to practice law in Texas, Oregon, and Washington.

Our law firm is in the Austin area, and we help nurses from all across Texas, including: San Antonio, El Paso, Dallas, Houston, Amarillo, and Lubbock.