Protecting their young....

One of the sayings that nurses use and are aware of their vulnerability in the work place because of the lack of nurturing and protecting their young or nurses who need mentoring is "nurses eat their young."  As a nurse it is important to develop relationships with those you are working with on a team and decide for yourself what the culture of the organization or unit feels like to you and listen to your instinct.  If as a nurse you are not feeling supported by others find a location where that support exists.  Don't get pulled into work environments where protocols and attention to detail is given in patient care.  Recently I was speaking with a specialist I was seeing at a local hospital about my concerns that many nurses have their licenses revoked because that seems to be the intention and purpose of nursing boards and he replied that most probably the decision to revoke a license revolves around other circumstances such as how the nurse handled a situation that resulted in for instance harm to a patient through delegation of a task to a person who was either not licensed to practice and needed direct supervision or the task was not within in the person's scope of practice.
I believe it is true to say that how the nurse reacted and how expediently she took steps to notify the doctor and supervisor would be considered.  I also am aware of how the workplace can be for nurses and as a friend and former colleague shared, nurses will shift blame and even lie to get themselves out of trouble.  It is not always a clear cut situation and others involved will want to shift blame and that's the experience of nurses in the workplace.  Documentation is a key factor and you can also keep a journal inside a locker at work and make notes about any unusual situations that you may be questioned about later on that will help jog your memory.  Read up on all policy and procedure manuals and write incident reports to document and have the appropriate follow up.  Keep a copy inside your locker because unfortunately 500 or so went missing at the Mid Staffordshire Trust Hospital and you will certainly be out of luck if that happens to you.
Because many nurses are isolated from colleagues once an investigation is started as part of the protocol to prevent information exchanges etc., others might experience abandonment because of judgement by those who have formerly been friends and colleagues from work or school.  Sometimes nurses don't want to come up on the radar of the nursing board themselves through association and will distance themselves.  Be aware that this is part and parcel of human behavior and focus on the things that you can change and need to deal with and let these people go from your life.
Keep a folder with copies of work performance reviews and any recommendations and positive comments from others such as colleagues and patients.  In the event that you are investigated you will need to build a portfolio and show your good character which you will have to defend.  Don't count on others when the rubber hits the road for some of the same reasons just mentioned.  Know that you are vulnerable in this field and be proactive.  Research into attorneys in your area with license expertise and carry insurance.  If possible put money aside for a retainer and be ready to spring into action if ever the time comes and hopefully that won't ever happen but more and more I hear nurses biggest complaint is having complex patients and not enough help.
Nursing is a rewarding career and most I believe want to serve those who have serious health issues and become hospitalized and that's where most start their career before branching into other areas outside the acute care setting.  Keeping abreast about information on whistle blowing is important and I recommend that nurses join "Patients First," an organization that brings issues that affect care to the forefront.  Learn to support nurses undergoing state board discipline and remain non-judgmental as the process gets worked through.  There may be ways that you can do some outreach to the nurses family or to the nurse personally during a time when income may have come to an abrupt halt.  Do what you can to protect and assist and avoid abandoning those who are under investigation.  It may be that they have been a thorn in the side of the organization/institution they worked for as Dr. Kim Clark who formed Patients First and who felt very vulnerable and at the mercy of investigators.
Like so many challenges in life we have to summons the inner strength to get through the initial stages of the crisis and then through the ongoing adjustments in our lives until we eventually move forward no matter what the outcome of the investigation.
Good wishes to those who are facing or have faced the process.  I recommend finding the right spiritual path and focus on meditation and inner development.