As an RN with a reputation of being a good nurse, it is very wrong to get involved with any case. This could put you in a bad situation and could also put your nursing license in suspension or revocation. If this happens, contact a nurse attorney for assistance and guarantee that a nurse attorney can help you handle such a case.
At the time of the incident, an RN was employed as a Research Nurse at a medical facility in Corpus Christi, Texas, and had been in that position for one (1) year and five (5) months.
An incident happened on or about December 13, 2017, through December 15, 2017, the RN failed to timely notify the physician/principal investigator (PI) that the elevated liver enzymes in the laboratory results for Patient/Subject occurred on the last day of a reporting cycle for the clinical research trial in which the Patient was a participant so the PI could determine whether or not there was an occurrence of dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) due to the trial medication that needed to be reported to the clinical trial sponsor within twenty-four (24) hours, per protocol, because occurrences of DLT can affect the starting dosage given to other patients entering the clinical research trial. The RN’s conduct may have exposed other patients participating in the clinical research trial to a risk of harm by not timely communicating critical lab results to the PI to interpret and communicate, if necessary, to the clinical trial sponsor according to protocol.
Subsequently, on or about December 15, 2017, the RN failed to collaborate with the PI prior to writing a note regarding the laboratory results of the Patient/Subject on a memorandum pre-signed by the PI, and submitting the memorandum via electronic mail to the clinical trial sponsor.
In regards to the incident, the RN states that she transmitted the memo and the patient’s labs to the clinical trial sponsor, without input from the physician. The RN further states that the clinical trial sponsor was aware at all times that the PI used pre-signed memos, and, in response to the pre-signed memo, the clinical trial sponsor requested that the PI or another qualified physician validate the DLT. The RN states that her actions fell within the scope of practice in that she reviewed the patient’s labs and recognized the labs were drawn within the DLT reporting period; she asked her supervisor to further assess whether the labs were drawn during the DLT reporting period; she sought guidance from her supervisor on next steps; and under the circumstances in which the physician was absent, protocol requirements and timing, The RN evaluated the situation and determined the best course of action was to transmit information regarding the patient’s status and lab values to Columbia. The RN states that she kept in routine communication with relevant personnel at M.D. Anderson and Columbia, and she asked other physicians to intercede and confirm whether the labs met DLT. The RN states that factors beyond her control caused her to take proactive steps to assure patient safety and maintain compliance with the clinical trial protocol. The RN stated that the PI engaged in a practice of negligent conduct by using pre-signed forms, failing to put in place policies, procedures, guidelines, a chain-of-command, or even a list of phone numbers to call, failing to make the RN aware of any covering physician, and failing to respond to the email correspondence regarding the DILT. The RN states that her supervisor was derelict in her duties as a nurse and as a supervisor in that her supervisor did not take any action, failed to show any personal initiative toward solving the issue of communicating the issue up the chain of command.
The following incident that involves the RN caused the Texas Board of Nursing to place the RN and her license into disciplinary action. He should have sought assistance from a good nurse attorney to provide clarifications towards the case.
If you’ve ever done any errors or misdemeanors outside or during your shift as an RN or LVN, and you wish to preserve your career and your license, an experienced nurse attorney is what you need. Nurse Attorney Yong J. An, an experienced nurse attorney for various licensing cases for 14 years, can assist you by contacting him at (832) 428-5679.