When a Complaint is Made to a Health Professional’s Licensing Board N561

Course Summary

A complaint to a health professional’s licensing board can be stressful. The process includes initial review, notification to the professional, their response, an investigation (interviews, document review, expert consultation), and potential outcomes like dismissal, informal resolution, or formal charges. If formal charges are issued, an administrative hearing may occur. The board’s decision can lead to sanctions, from reprimands to license revocation. Seeking legal counsel early is crucial. Case studies illustrate how licensing boards handle complaints against health professionals and the steps licensees should take.

Course Format

Homestudy

Course Syllabus

• Introduction
  • Case Study: Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)
  • Licensing Board Role During the Complaint Process
  • Case Study: Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC)
  • Key Takeaways

Authors

Susan Depasquale, MA, MSN, PMHNP-BC

Susan DePasquale is a board certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. Her current practice is with families, youth and adults who have mental illnesses in both inpatient and outpatient settings, including telepsychiatry for Montana, Washington and Wisconsin communities. She completed her Masters of Art in Political Science at the University of Victoria, British Columbia, Masters of Science in Nursing at Seattle Pacific University in Seattle, Washington with a focus in neurogastroenterology and the Post-Masters of Science in Nursing at the Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana with a focus in psychiatry. She has worked with small and rural healthcare teams in British Columbia and the Northwest Territories, Canada, and in teaching and research hospitals such as Providence Health and Virginia Mason Medical Center Digestive and Liver Disease Departments in Seattle. Since 2012, she has been actively involved in online continuing education program development for nurses and health teams.

William Cook, PhD

William Cook, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist who worked for 15 years in private practice in Montana before leaving his practice to work full time as the Director of CE4Less. He earned his doctorate degree from Texas A&M University, and focused much of his psychology practice in the area of child and family counseling, as well as psychological testing. Dr. Cook likes new challenges, foreign traveling to Africa and areas of Europe and the near East, scuba diving, running, music, and spending time with his family.