Allegation or Complaints
Definitions
What are allegations or complaints?
Allegations or complaints according tot he Liberian Board for Nursing and Midwifery are concerns about a nurse or midwife people believe is putting the safety or patient or the public at risk. If someone believes the public health and well being are at immediate or serious risk the LBNM should be contacted immediately. Don’t wait until its too late.
Who do you contact when you have an allegation or complaint?
It may be appropriate to first notify the nurse or midwife employer (hospital, clinic, health center) of your concern who might intervene quickly and fairly by doing their own investigations. if you think your concerns are not being addressed properly or if you thing the nurse or midwife presents an immediate danger to the health and safety of the public, you should contact us immediately.
Do you want the allegation to be officially investigated?
Sometimes members of the public call the Board to make us aware of an issue, but ask us not to take any further action. When this occur, we generally respect the person’s view and will not start an investigation because we have not been given the persons consent to use as evidence. However, we will launch our own investigation if we believe the public safety is at risk and use other means to gather evidence.
Is the allegation about a nurse or midwife's conduct outside of the hospital, clinic or health center?
To investigate an allegation that involves a nurse or midwife’s conduct outside of her workplace, the Board will only do so if the allegation suggests that the nurse or midwife’s actions or behavior puts the patients or the public at risk or if the actions or behavior result in a legal conviction.
The time it takes from an initial complaint to be investigated to a final decision depends on
When writing a complaint the following information is needed
The disciplinary and ethical committee makes a decision on whether or not a midwife or nurse is fit to stay on the register. Using the Labor Law as proof, there are three stages to the decision making process.
Whatsoever decisions the committee makes is not intended to punish individuals but to protect the health and well being of the public. However the action the committee takes will take into action other factors such as:
If the disciplinary committee finds a nurse or midwife unfit to practice, the Chairperson shall develop disciplinary procedures in consultation with the Board and Legal Counsel.
It will decide either not to take any action or to take one of the following actions:
The Liberian Board for Nursing and Midwifery will write to the complainant and the nurse or midwife concerned to advise them of the outcome of the case.
If you are not satisfied with a particular decision or an actin taken by the committee, particularly where a person has lost a friend, loved one or suffered some distress, we are sorry and empathize with you in these situations. The Board as a regulator is not able to punish people for misdemeanors. Of course, people are free to look at other ways than the Board. (e.g a civil or criminal case)
In some cases also, the Board will receive appeals if someone considers the outcome of the case or action taken inappropriate. We encourage and advice all complainants, nurses, and midwives of their rights to appeal at the relevant stage of their case to the Ministry of Health, Republic of Liberia.