It is also included in the role of the nurse to effectively assess and manage a patient’s pain especially for post-operation surgery patients. This could lead to the patient’s suffering and could be worse than that. It will be put to concern and complaints from the patient’s family or the patient itself could raise the attention of the Board. Such kind of negligence can put you in a bad situation. The best thing you could do is be prepared always when facing the Board; you need a nurse attorney to represent you in court.
At the time of the incident, the RN was employed as a travel nurse with a hospital in Georgetown, Texas, and had been in that position for one (1) month.
It was on or about December 16, 2019, while employed as a travel nurse and providing care for a patient, the RN failed to appropriately administer Intravenous Hydromorphone every hour as needed for pain, per orders. The patient was status post-operative same-day surgery and admitted for an overnight stay for pain management by the surgeon. Further, the RN failed to appropriately document her assessments and re-assessments of the patient’s pain. Subsequently, the patient reported to her surgeon the next morning that her pain was poorly controlled overnight, even though he had ordered hourly, as needed, intravenous pain medication. The RN’s conduct likely contributed to uncontrolled postoperative pain and patient suffering.
In response to the incident, the RN states that the patient was being medicated when the RN rounded on the patient and was not calling to cause the RN to believe her pain was uncontrolled.
As a result of the kind of negligence the RN did, the evidence received is sufficient cause pursuant to Section 301.452(b)(13), Texas Occupations Code, to take disciplinary action against the RN. The RN does agree to comply with the terms agreed. Failure to comply can lead to the worst. To prevent the worst to happen, a nurse attorney for defense is such a great help.
Having a nurse attorney around is a game-changer. Do you have questions about the Texas Board of Nursing disciplinary process? Contact The Law Office of RN License Attorney Yong J. An for a confidential consultation by calling or texting 24/7 at (832) 428-5679 and ask for attorney Yong.