On October 26, Susan Wagener will be part of a panel speaking with graduate nursing students at Northern Illinois University about substance abuse disorders in the health care professions. As the only attorney on the panel, she will discuss the legal aspects of the issue, including navigating disciplinary matters and a nurse’s right to legal counsel.

Wagener focuses her practice on the defense of medical malpractice and health care professional licensure cases. In addition to her active trial practice, she regularly presents and publishes on topics related to malpractice risk management and defense of disciplinary matters.

Prior to becoming an attorney, Ms. Wagener was a registered nurse. She is donating her honorarium to support toxicology screens for nurses in the Illinois Professionals Health Program, a group that provides confidential consultation and support to healthcare professionals facing behavioral, mental, or physical health concerns that my affect their health, wellbeing, or ability to practice. (The state covers the costs of one screening per month. Quite often many more are required, which becomes the financial responsibility of the nurse.)