The Texas Board of Nursing (BON) has the jurisdiction to hear and decide cases involving the practice of professional nursing in Texas. Any RN or LVN found guilty of violating the state laws and regulations may be subjected to a disciplinary case if not properly defended by a nurse attorney. An Rn from Beaumont was disciplined by the Board for the reason of violating the boundaries of a nurse and client/patient relationship during medical care.
At the time of the incident, an RN was employed as a Registered Nurse at a hospital in Beaumont, Texas, and had been in that position for two (2) years.
On or about July 7, 2018, through July 24, 2018, while employed as a Registered Nurse and assigned to provide skilled nursing care to a patient, the RN violated the professional boundaries of the nurse/client relationship in that she had been taking the patient to her residence to care for him. The RN’s conduct violated the professional boundaries of the nurse-client relationship and was likely to injure the patient in that it could have resulted in confusion between the needs of the nurse and those of the patient. In addition, the RN’s conduct may have caused delayed distress for the patient, which may not be recognized or felt by the patient until harmful consequences occur.
On or about July 7, 2018, through July 24, 2018, while employed as a Registered Nurse, and assigned to provide skilled nursing care to a patient, the RN inaccurately documented skilled nursing visit notes to the patient to show she had given continual care and worked her scheduled shift when she was not present at the patient’s residence. The RN’s conduct was likely to deceive other caregivers who needed complete information on which to base their care.
On or about July 24, 2018, the RN failed to complete a skilled nursing visit for Patient H.D. as ordered by the physician. The RN’s failure to conduct a skilled nursing visit as ordered by a physician could have exposed the patient unnecessarily to the risk of harm.
In response, the RN states she does not feel that the patient’s safety was placed at risk. The RN states she rarely took the patient with her, without her mom’s consent. The RN states she always assured the patient that he had his portable equipment with him, just as he would have if they were going to a physician’s visit or to a family gathering, with the patient and mother. The RN states she did not understand this as a boundary-crossing, because she was in the role of his nursing care provider. The RN states she will never repeat the action again. The RN states she and the other nurse assigned to this were not provided their own devices. And she also states that they were expected to share a device in the home. The RN also states that they decided that it was best to have the device with one of them. The RN states each nurse was to leave the device at home if the other nurse was to work the following day, but at times, both of them would forget to leave the iPad. The RN states that she provided documented care.
As a result, the RN failed to properly present and defend her case against the court. She was disciplined warning to suspension of her RN license by violating Texas Board of Nursing regulation.
Avoid a similar thing from happening on your end. Make sure to find the right nurse attorney in case a complaint will be filed against you before the Texas Board of Nursing (BON). Consult with Texas nurse attorney Yong J. An, today if you have any questions about your disciplinary process by calling or texting him at (832) 428-5679 day, night or on weekends.