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Whenever someone filed a complaint against you, your license could be put in danger if not defended by a Frisco nurse attorney. An RN from Frisco, Texas is just one of the many examples of nurses who have been disciplined by the Texas Board of Nursing.  

On or about September 22, 2016, while employed as a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner in Frisco, the RN exceeded her scope of practice as a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner by providing services to the patient, who was older than 24 months. Additionally, she performed a genital exam without referring the patient to a qualified provider or emergency department for further assessment and/or treatment and without reporting the concern of abuse of a minor to Child Protective Services directly, as required. 

In response to the incident, the RN states that she has been this patient’s provider until she reached the age of 2 years old; the patient was 2 years 8 months old when she came to the office on September 22, 2016. She states that the patient was acting abnormally and was difficult and reported being hit by her father, and refused to be seen by the family nurse practitioner that was in the office on that day. She states that the mother asked if the RN would go in the room to calm the patient and check her out, and this was discussed with the doctor.

The doctor by phone before the appointment took place. The RN states that she called the physician immediately after the appointment to provide her the facts and details of the assessment, and the family nurse practitioner in the office was also present for the plan of care discussion. She states that at the time, the decision for her to see the patient was made in order to provide continuity of care and to provide the most secure feeling possible for the patient to address her current behaviors and complaints. She states once the patient was in the room and the appointment progressed, her mother noted a current complaint of “digging in the vaginal area” so a visual exam was done to rule out a yeast infection or any other standard medical reason for some of this behavior. 

The RN states that following the appointment, the doctor instructed her to ensure that the patient’s mother called child protective services (CPS), noting that the mother also works as a medical assistant in the office. She was present while the mother called CPS. 

The RN states that the patient’s mother came to her following the call to CPS stating that the patient would be going to the hospital for further follow-up, which she knew would include an exam by a SANE nurse. The RN states that several weeks later, she was informed that by law it is a requirement of the provider who suspects abuse to report it to CPS directly. 

The RN states that at the time of the patient’s appointment, the doctor believed that they only had to make sure that it was reported within 48 hours. Since that time, she has looked up regulations and the official policy was revised. The RN adds that she has completed continuing education on Recognizing, Preventing, and Reporting Child Abuse by the Texas Department of State Health Services. 

Do not fret if you find yourself in a similar situation the same as that of the RN mentioned above. All you need to do is to find the right nurse attorney who can help you in the case. Equip yourself with the knowledge and expertise you need for a successful outcome by consulting a knowledgeable and experienced Texas nurse attorney. Contact the Law Office of Yong J. An and text or call attorney Yong 24/7 at (832) 428-4579