Whenever someone filed a complaint against you, your license could be put in danger if not defended by a nurse attorney. An RN from Houston, Texas is just one of the many examples of nurses who were accused of negligence.
On or about September 29, 2017, through September 30, 2017, an RN from Houston failed to clarify tube feeding orders with the physician and obtain approval to use the newly inserted nasogastric tube (NGT) prior to initiating tube feedings of a patient. Subsequently, the patient experienced respiratory failure, requiring intubation, and aspiration pneumonia.
Because of this, the RN was summoned by the Texas Board of Nursing to defend her side. In response to the incident, the RN states that based on an order entered on the previous day shift to start tube feedings, she then started tube feedings for the patient at 0200. She states that she called the attending physician at 0530, because she became aware that the patient’s chest X-ray revealed opacities, and because he was experiencing desaturations that were not resolved with the non-rebreather mask. The RN states that at the time, she thought she was doing everything she could to keep her patient safe and stable, but in hindsight, she should have done more.
The RN further states that she has changed her practice as a result of this experience, such as asking more questions, seeking advice and recommendations from multiple nurses, and communicating more often with charge nurses and physicians. She states that she recognizes that she should have made further attempts to contact the physician regarding the patient’s status and get a current order to starting tube feedings after placement of the NGT.
However, the Board states that the conduct by the RN was likely to injure the patient from a delay in necessary interventions to address the patient’s respiratory status.
Furthermore, the RN failed to hire a nurse attorney to help her with her case. Because of this, the Texas Board of Nursing suspended and disciplined the RN.
Do not fret if you find yourself in a similar situation the same as that of the RN mentioned above. All you need to do is to find the right nurse attorney who can help you in the case. Equip yourself with the knowledge and expertise you need for a successful outcome by consulting a knowledgeable and experienced Texas nurse attorney. Contact the Law Office of Yong J. An and text or call attorney Yong 24/7 at (832) 428-4579