Common Employer Mistakes That Lead to Board Complaints Against Nurses

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How Systemic Issues Can Put Your Missouri or Kansas Nursing License at Risk—And What to Do About It

Nurses are often the last line of defense in patient care, but when something goes wrong, they’re frequently the first to be blamed. In reality, many Board complaints don’t arise from intentional misconduct or personal negligence—they stem from deeper, systemic failures within the workplace. Poor employer policies, inadequate staffing, flawed documentation systems, or rushed onboarding procedures can create situations where even diligent nurses find themselves the subject of a licensing investigation.

At Sanger Law Office, LLC, we’ve worked with nurses across Missouri and Kansas who found themselves facing complaints due to organizational breakdowns—not because they were unfit to practice. If you’re under investigation by the Board of Nursing, it’s essential to understand the larger picture of what went wrong—and how to protect your license from the fallout of your employer’s mistakes.

When Employer Negligence Leads to Board Complaints

Nursing boards in both Missouri and Kansas are tasked with holding individual nurses accountable for safe, ethical practice. But when a nurse is forced to operate in a dysfunctional system, even a simple task can turn into a career-threatening liability. Some of the most common employer-related failures that lead to Board complaints include:

1. Inadequate Staffing and Unmanageable Workloads
Understaffed shifts and excessive patient assignments lead to rushed care, skipped documentation, and missed orders. A nurse may be reported for a charting omission or medication error—when in reality, they were set up to fail by a dangerously overloaded assignment.

2. Poor or Incomplete Training
Hospitals and facilities often implement new equipment, software, or procedures without providing sufficient orientation. If a nurse is expected to administer treatments or document care using a system they were never properly trained on, the risk of error skyrockets.

3. Outdated or Conflicting Policies
Some facilities maintain policies that are not aligned with current best practices or Board standards. A nurse who follows a facility’s policy in good faith may find themselves in violation of state nursing regulations.

4. Pressure to Work Outside Scope or Bypass Protocols
It’s not uncommon for employers to expect nurses to perform duties outside their scope of practice, especially in rural or short-staffed environments. If this leads to a patient harm event, the nurse—not the administrator—often takes the blame.

5. Mismanagement of Controlled Substances
Improper inventory tracking, lack of a witnessed waste policy, or failure to reconcile discrepancies can result in drug diversion allegations—especially when a nurse is the last person documented in the chain of custody.

6. Delays in Reporting Errors or Incidents
Many institutions discourage nurses from speaking up or self-reporting out of fear of retaliation. But when an issue eventually comes to light, the nurse may be accused of falsifying records or failing to report critical information in a timely way.

The Board of Nursing Doesn’t Excuse Employer Missteps—But They Can Be Part of Your Defense

State Boards focus on the actions of individual license holders. They may not initially consider the broader context of unsafe conditions, lack of training, or organizational failure—unless those facts are clearly documented and raised in your defense.

That’s where working with a qualified Missouri or Kansas Nursing License Defense Attorney becomes crucial. At Sanger Law Office, we help nurses gather evidence of:

  • Poor policy enforcement
  • Overwhelming staffing patterns or acuity loads
  • Lack of orientation or training documentation
  • Unsafe expectations set by management
  • Internal communications that show systemic breakdowns

Our goal is to show the Board that any error or outcome was not due to professional misconduct, but rather the result of structural problems that would have created risk for any nurse in the same position.

Real-Life Example: System Failures That Led to Board Action

We represented a nurse who was reported for failing to properly administer wound care, resulting in a patient developing sepsis. Upon investigation, it became clear that:

  • The facility had no documented wound care policy
  • The nurse was covering 38 patients alone that evening
  • The wound care supplies were locked in a storage room that required a code only the charge nurse had
  • The nurse had requested help, but no response came

Despite the facility’s failures, the nurse was initially held responsible. After gathering documentation, colleague statements, and policy deficiencies, we were able to show the Board that the nurse had done everything reasonably possible under the circumstances. The case was closed with no formal discipline.

What Nurses Should Do If They Suspect Employer Fault

If you’re involved in a patient care event and suspect your employer’s systems, training, or management contributed to the issue:

  • Document everything you observed at the time
  • Request your personnel file and any training records
  • Avoid discussing the matter with coworkers or supervisors beyond required incident reporting
  • Do not assume your employer will defend you—facilities often prioritize risk management over employee protection
  • Contact a license defense attorney immediately if you receive a Board notice or investigative letter

Call Danielle Sanger For a Free Consultation

Have you received a Missouri or Kansas Board of Nursing complaint after a workplace incident that wasn’t entirely your fault? Don’t take the blame for a broken system. Protect your career with experienced legal help.

📞 Call Sanger Law Office, LLC for a free consultation:
(816) 520-8040 for Missouri
(785) 979-4353 for Kansas

We help nurses defend their licenses against complaints fueled by employer error, unsafe environments, and unfair practices. Your license—and your future—deserve a strong, informed defense.