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It’s best to seek the help of a McAllen nurse attorney when facing different complaints and allegations. However, some nurses tend to face these results instead without thinking that nurse attorneys are always reliable for matters such as these. 

On or about July 2, 2018, while employed as a Licensed Vocational Nurse in McAllen, the LVN accepted the assignment to care for a patient who had a tracheostomy and was ventilator dependent, without sufficient experience or training to be able to respond to a tracheostomy decannulation, and needed assistance from the primary caregivers to intervene and replace the tracheostomy tube, including when she herself dislodged the patient’s tracheostomy tube. 

Additionally, she failed to notify the physician when the patient experienced two (2) tracheostomy decannulations during her shift, failed to notify the nursing supervisor when the second tracheostomy decannulation occurred, and failed to document the second tracheostomy decannulation in the patient’s medical record. 

The LVN’s conduct was likely to injure the patient from the inability to competently intervene when the patient experienced a tracheostomy decannulation. Moreover, her conduct deprived caregivers of the necessary information and resulted in an incomplete medical record, and was likely to injure the patient in that subsequent caregivers did not have accurate information on which to base their decisions for further care. 

During the hearing, the LVN states that during the first decannulation, everything happened rapidly. The patient’s mother walked into the room and asked her what happened. She states that she explained that upon turning the patient to her side, the tracheostomy was noted to be out of the patient’s stoma. 

The LVN states that she explained to the mother that she did not want to cause trauma to the patient because she had never handled that type of tracheostomy tube before. The mother immediately tried to re-insert the same size tracheostomy tube. She states she stood at the side of the patient’s mother and assisted the mother by handing her the obturator and jelly for the tracheostomy tube. She states that when the mother was unsuccessful in inserting the tracheostomy tube, the LVN immediately handed her a downsize tracheostomy tube, which the mother was able to successfully insert. The LVN states that the patient was then suctioned by herself and the patient’s mother. The LVN states that she contacted PSA Healthcare regarding the tracheostomy decannulation and was told that a registered nurse would call her back. 

When the registered nurse called her back, she states that she reported the tracheostomy decannulation and was told to continue to monitor the patient for any signs or symptoms of respiratory distress. Later in her shift, the LVN states that she accidentally decannulated the patient when changing the tracheostomy ties and asked the patient’s aunt to enter the room in case of an emergency. The LVN states she re-inserted the tracheostomy tube. 

However, she was not able to provide a good defense for herself. Therefore, the Board placed her LVN license to a disciplinary action instead.

If you ever undergo cases such as this, it’s best to seek the assistance of a good nurse attorney in McAllen as it could make the case better in your favor. Be sure to find a McAllen nurse attorney who’s experienced and knowledgeable in several nurse cases to ensure the best assistance possible.

If you also received a complaint regarding a case filed on you, you should hire a nurse attorney immediately before it’s too late. Texas nurse attorney Yong J. An is one of those dedicated nurse lawyers who helped various nurses in their cases since 2006. You may contact him 24/7 at (832) 428-5679 for more information or if you want to schedule a private consultation.