Why Nurses Need Whistleblower Protection

Boards of nursing and professional associations have a strong belief that nursing practice must emphasize patient advocacy and the importance of the nurse's role in the protection and safety of patients. Though nurses are educated about their responsibilities regarding advocacy and safety, many have difficulty navigating workplace impediments that restrict their duty to advocate for patients. This was not the issue for two Winkler County, Texas, nurses who reported concerns about a physician's dangerous medical practice to the Texas Board of Medicine. Not only were the nurses fired from their long-standing jobs for reporting the physician's unsafe practice, they were also criminally indicted for a third-degree felony. This article reviews the case of these nurses and the subsequent legislation initiated by the Texas Nurses Association and supported by the Texas Board of Nursing to prevent such occurrences in the future.