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 nurse attorneys can also defend a nurse’s license against any form of accusations.
An instance of this type of accusation occurred on or about February 14, 2016. While employed in a Healthcare Service Center in San Antonio, an LVN exceeded her licenced vocational nurse scope of practice and inappropriately provided telephonic medical triage to unlicensed direct care staff providing services to a patient, who was described as moaning as if in pain. The on-call registered nurse was not contacted, and approximately eight hours later, the patient expired. The LVN’s conduct was likely to injure the patient from ineffective treatment.
In response to the accusations against her, the LVN states that she followed as-needed (PRN) medication procedures per facility policy. She states that she received a telephone call from Direct Care Staff (DCS) at a group home, while the LVN was asleep, stating that the patient was moaning as if he was hurting.
The LVN further states that she asked the DCS if the patient had any gas suspension that day and she was told no. She states that she asked the DCS questions regarding the patient’s last bowel movement and temperature. She also adds that DCS replied that the patient had one small, soft and formed bowel movement, and a temperature of 97.1 degrees. The LVN states that the DCS asked her if she could administer his medication for gas. She states that she reminded DCS that there were current medication orders for simethicone suspension and Tylenol for pain just as the hospital was administering.
She states that the patient was not having new onset medical issues, but having gas build-up with abdominal discomfort since the original bowel resection. The LVN further states that she informed DCS that if the medication regimen did not work, to please call the nurse for additional instruction. She states that she failed to ask DCS if she had tried calling the on-call RN.
The Texas Board of Nursing then decided to subject the LVN and her license into disciplinary proceedings. The said proceedings shall ensure the safety of the patient, along with a better future for the LVN’s career. However, she should contact a nurse attorney in order to receive assistance regarding the case, especially if the LVN sincerely thinks of it as an accusation.
For more details or for a confidential consultation regarding accusations, it’s best to contact an experienced nurse attorney. Yong J. An is an experienced nurse attorney which helped RNs and LVNs defend against several cases since 2006. You can call him at (832)-428-5679 to get started or to inquire for more information regarding nursing license case defenses.