Select Page

Accusations are stressful issues for an RN or LVN, except when a nurse attorney assists you against the case. The Texas Board of Nurses is responsible for all hearings against RNs and LVNs undergoing a case that may revoke suspend or only discipline their license. Take note that a nurse attorney can also defend a nurse’s license against accusations.

 On or about March 16, 2016, while employed in a medical center in Tomball and caring for a patient, the LVN failed to timely assess and intervene when the telemetry technician informed LVN the patient was experiencing ST elevations.   

Further, the LVN failed to timely notify the physician of the ST elevations.  Subsequently, the patient was diagnosed with a myocardial infarction (MI). Additionally, the LVN failed to report the above-referenced ST elevations to the charge nurse, and failed to activate the Rapid Response Team (RRT).  Subsequently, the patient was diagnosed with a myocardial infarction (Ml).  Her conduct deprived the patient of the benefit of timely medical intervention, and placed the patient at risk for complications, including possible demise.

The LVN was summoned before the Board to defend against the case. As a defense to the accusations filed against her, she told that she had limited experience interpreting electrocardiograms (ECGs) and a knowledge deficit regarding the significance of an elevated ST segment.  She states the patient was experiencing chest pain when she came on shift,  so she consulted another nurse, who instructed her to continue to monitor the patient if the patient had no other  symptoms  besides chest pain.  

The LVN states the telemetry tech called and informed her of the ST elevations, so she consulted the same nurse, who did not recognize the ST elevations as an issue. She states she  spoke  with  the  patient’s  attending physician several  times  throughout the shift,  but since she did not recognize the urgency of the  situation,  she did not notify the physician  of the patient’s status  change.   She states the patient’s status change was recognized by the next shift, and the patient underwent a stent procedure, suffering no apparent harm from the delay in treatment.  The LVN further states she has since taken a continuing education course on ECG rhythm recognition. 

The Texas Board of Nursing then subjected the LVN and her license into disciplinary action. The accusation would have been defended by an experienced and skilled nurse attorney, had the LVN hired one. Hiring a nurse attorney for defense is applicable for any kind of accusation laid against an RN or LVN.

For more details and to schedule a confidential consultation, you must approach one of the most experienced nurse attorneys in Texas, Yong J. An. He has assisted numerous nursing license cases since 2006. You may contact him by dialing (832)-428-5679 if you wish to learn more information should you undergo accusations or any other case that may affect your license.