Any type of accusations can be defended, as long as there is a skilled nurse attorney ready to assist you during the hearing before the Board of Nursing. The Texas Board of Nursing has full jurisdiction regarding cases that may affect an RN or LVN’s license from suspension, disciplinary action or revocation.
Accusations are a must to be observed properly not only by the Board but by a nurse attorney. One such incident happened on or about December 4, 2014, while employed as an RN in San Antonio, Texas, the RN failed to assess a change of condition and provide necessary interventions to a patient after the patient had suffered a fall. She documented the patient’s vital signs at 4: 15 PM and the patient was hypertensive, tachycardic and tachypneic. At 6:30 PM the RN documented the last set of vital signs for the patient with no additional assessments.
No further vital signs were taken, and the only additional intervention by the RN was when she administered one Acetaminophen tablet to the patient for pain. At 9:00 PM, the patient was complaining of hip pain and the X-ray showed a pelvic fracture. The patient died approximately six hours after her fall. The RN’s failure to assess and intervene exposed the patient to the risk of harm in that significant changes in the patient’s status went undetected and prevented a timely intervention.
On or about December 4, 2014, the RN failed to notify the physician while the aforementioned patient was having an acute change in condition after a fall. After paging the physician at 6:30 PM for a stronger pain medication, the physician was not notified of the patient’s change in condition until 10:45 PM, which was approximately fifteen minutes after the patient was pronounced dead. The RN’s conduct deprived the physician of vital information, which would be required to institute timely medical interventions, thereby placing the patient at risk of complications from the fall.
On or about December 4, 2014, the RN failed to timely document assessments, vital signs, and interventions in the medical record of the patient who was experiencing an acute change in condition after suffering from a fall. While the patient’s condition was declining, the RN did not document vital information regarding the patient until 12:45 PM on December 5, 2014. Her conduct was likely to injure the patient in that subsequent caregivers would rely on her timely documentation to provide further care.
In response to accusations on her, she states the only change in status was the patient’s fall at 4:15 PM. She states at that point she notified the Assistant Director of Nurses (ADON) and the Director of Nurses (DON), who in tum notified the patient’s doctor. The RN states the doctor was repeatedly kept up to date on the patient’s progress throughout the night.
The RN further states that the patient was monitored frequently throughout the night and at 6:28 PM, She states she gave the patient an Acetaminophen tablet. She states at 9:00 PM, the DON noted that the patient was complaining of pain, but was nevertheless alert and oriented. The RN further states at about 10:00 PM, the patient’s status turned for the worse and showed an unresponsive low oxygen sat at 80%. The RN states that the patient died shortly thereafter.
The Texas Board of Nurse decided to take disciplinary action against the RN. Therefore, her RN license is subjected to disciplinary procedures to ensure the future safety of the patients. Due to her reason, she should have hired a nurse license attorney to defend the action against her.
The experience nurse attorney will assist you in fighting the charge. Don’t face the Board alone. Your RN license is precious to keep. Thus, fight with the right nurse attorney.
For further inquiries or if you want to schedule a private consultation, you may refer to Attorney Yong J. An in his Law Office. You may contact him by dialing (832)-428-567.