DUI Arrests Involving Nurses
A nurse who has been arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, medication or drugs, should immediately contact the office of an attorney who specializes in representing nurses who have been arrested for DUI. Driving under the influence is a serious criminal offense and nurses are held to a higher standard than members of the general public. It is not unusual for a nurse to be arrested for DUI on a Friday or Saturday night and be confronted by a supervisor regarding the matter on Monday.
The California Department of Justice receives notification of driving under the influence arrests when a person is fingerprinted (or through other means) and forwards this information to the Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) or Board of Vocational Nursing within one week.
Individuals holding a license to practice nursing hold a special position of trust and are often responsible for caring for those who are unable to care for themselves and accessing and dispensing medication. Nurses know that there are two professional boards administered by the California Department of Consumer Affairs which license nurses. the Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) licenses Registered Nurses (RN's), while the Board of Vocational Nursing (BVN) licenses Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVN's). Some California nurses hold a license with both the Board of Registered Nursing and the Board of Vocation Nursing. This section of this website discusses issues affecting Registered Nurses licensed in California who have been arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, medication or drugs.
Board of Registered Nursing Jurisdiction
The Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) has primary responsibility for licensing and regulating Registered Nurses in California. The BRN's authority is derived from the Nursing Practice Act , which are California statutes in the California Business and Professions Code conferring on the BRN the authority to investigate complaints and take disciplinary action against California Registered Nurses. Investigation and disciplinary functions are handled by the BRN's Enforcement Program.
The Board of Registered Nursing has jurisdiction to investigate complaints made against nurses. California law entitled the Nursing Practice Act and codified in the California Business and Professions Code authorizes the BRN to discipline a Registered Nurse for particular types of violations. Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations confers additional authority to the Board of Registered Nursing to investigate and discipline Registered Nurses.
Board of Registered Nursing's Enforcement Program staff receive and investigate complaints from health care consumers (the public), health care professionals (hospital staff) and law enforcement agencies to identify Registered Nurses who have engaged in any activity which may place the public at risk.
The BRN's Enforcement Program responsibilities may be divided into four primary categories:
- Complaint Intake
- Investigation
- Legal Action
- Discipline
- Probation Monitoring
Violations of the Nursing Practice Act for which discipline may be imposed include:
- Alcohol or drug abuse
- Acts or convictions substantially related to the practice of nursing
- Mental impairment rendering a nurse unsafe to practice the profession
- Gross negligence/incompetence, resulting in patient endangerment
- Patient abuse and neglect
- Sexual, violent, or abusive offenses
- Fraud or theft offenses
- Mentally impaired and unsafe to practice
- Practicing nursing without a license
- RNs on probation who have violated a term or condition of their probation
San Francisco Bay Area Communities We Serve
The firm's DUI lawyers and DUI attorneys serve clients in the following cities and counties as well as the entire Bay Area:
Contact Information
Robert Tayac has been helping nurses and other professionals charged with DUI in San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area communities for well over two decades. If you hire Robert Tayac to handle your case, you will know that you are obtaining the services of a knowledgeable, experienced, and trustworthy lawyer.
Contact the Law Office of Robert Tayac for your free case evaluation!