When the Texas Board of Nursing (BON) has a complaint against you, you should seek the right nurse license attorney. Any RN or LVN found guilty for violating the state laws and regulations may be subjected to a disciplinary case such as revocation or suspension of her RN or LVN license. The trend is for employers to refer a case to the Texas BON to discipline a nurse and at the same time terminate your employment in most of the cases.
At the time of the initial incident, he was employed as an RN at a hospital in Pharr, Texas, and had been in that position for eight (8) months.
On or about August 19, 2019, while employed as an RN at a hospital in Pharr, Texas, RN was accused of the following:
- RN failed to get the dialysis fluid from the dialysis floor and initiate a peritoneal dialysis treatment for a patient, who had an elevated potassium level, at 0900 as ordered by the physician. The patient did not receive his dialysis treatment until 1500, six (6) hours later. RN’s conduct delayed the onset of treatment needed to decrease the patient’s potassium level and unnecessarily exposed the patient to a risk of harm from complications associated with kidney disease.
- RN failed to notify the physician of the above-mentioned patient’s continued elevated blood pressure reading at 0900 even after the patient received a PRN (as needed) dose of intravenous blood pressure medication two (2) hours prior. Additionally, the patient was able to receive his oral blood pressure medications at 0907, but RN did not administer them to the patient until 1017. Furthermore, RN falsified the patient’s blood pressure and heart rate at 0900 and 1017 in the patient’s medical record. RN’s conduct created an inaccurate medical record and unnecessarily deprived the patient of timely medical interventions needed to prevent complications associated with high blood pressure, including heart attack or stroke.
In response, RN states he told his charge nurse that he did not have any experience with peritoneal dialysis, and he was told that somebody from the dialysis floor would come assist with dialysis at the bedside. RN also states they were waiting for the patient’s father to bring the patient’s peritoneal dialysis equipment from home. RN states that the patient’s blood pressure had been high all night. RN states he then checked the MAR and saw that the patient had three different oral blood pressure medications to be given at the same time with the morning medications. RN states he notified his charge nurse and she advised against giving oral blood pressure medications, stating that they will interfere with the Kayexalate, which was given to the patient by the night nurse for high potassium. RN states he administered PRN IV blood pressure medication to the patient. RN states that the oral blood pressure medications were given at 0900, and states that by 1017 the patient’s blood pressure had decreased significantly. RN denies that he falsified the blood pressure results. RN states when the patient’s father returned with the dialysis equipment, the physician was upset that it had not been completed. RN states the charge nurse called the dialysis floor and was told the pharmacy had already sent the fluid and it was still in the warmer. RN states the charge nurse left to get the fluid while he prepped the patient for dialysis. RN states the charge nurse returned alone, and not with a dialysis nurse as previously planned, and neither she nor RN knew how to complete peritoneal dialysis. RN states the patient had to show them how to do it.
The above actions constitute grounds for disciplinary action in accordance with Section 301.452(b)(10)&(13), Texas Occupations Code, and is a violation of 22 TEX. ADMIN. CODE §217.11(1)(A),(1)(B),(1)(C),(1)(D),(1)(M),(1)(P),(1)(T) & (3) and 22 TEX. ADMIN. CODE §217.12(1)(A),(1)(B),(1)(C),(1)(E),(4),(6)(A), (6)(H)&(11)(B).
The evidence against the RN was strong. At the same time, he was not able to properly defend his case in court. As a result, his nursing license was placed under disciplinary action.
Avoid the similar thing from happening on your end. Make sure to find the right defense attorney in case a complaint will be filed against you before the Texas Board of Nursing (BON). For more details or for a confidential consultation regarding accusations, it’s best to contact an experienced Texas nurse attorney. Texas Nurse Attorney Yong J. An is an experienced nurse attorney who represented more than 300 nurse cases for RNs and LVNs for the past 16 years. You can call him at (832)-428-5679 to get started or to inquire for more information regarding nursing license case defenses.