Whenever someone filed a complaint against you, your license could be put in danger if not defended by a nurse attorney. An RN from Texarkana, Texas is just one of the many examples of nurses who have been disciplined by the Texas Board of Nursing.
On or about Saturday, March 14, 2015, while employed as RN in the endoscopy treatment department in a hospital in Dallas, the RN, together with another RN from the endoscopy department were called into the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) to assist with an endoscopy procedure (a bronchoscopy) on a patient who was diagnosed with bacterial pneumonia.
Upon arrival at the ICU, and prior to assisting with this endoscopy procedure, the RN was given a report on a patient the ICU nurse assigned to this patient (ICU Nurse) consistent with the hospital policy on hand-off communication.
During this endoscopy procedure, the RN was the nurse required to monitor, assess, and document the patient’s vital signs, while the nurse working with the RN assisted in the procedure as a technician.
During this endoscopy procedure, the RN was unable to perform the administration of the physician ordered bolus of Fentanyl and Versed from the pump.
During this endoscopy procedure, the RN also failed to properly monitor, assess, and document the patient’s vital signs including as follows:
- She fabricated documentation related to the patient’s vital signs,
- She manually documented a blood pressure reading every five (5) minutes although the monitoring device associated with the cuff located on the patient (monitoring device) was set to cycle every forty-five minutes and, therefore, only provided a read every forty-five minutes,
- The vital signs she tracked and manually documented did not correlate to the monitoring device.
- She did not take adequate if any, off-cycle vital sign checks for the patient.
- She did not otherwise take vital signs every five (5) minutes.
- Certain vital signs she allegedly tracked and documented were illegible.
- Her vital sign form for the patient on which she documented vital signs she alleges to have tracked was partially completed prior to the commencement of the endoscopy procedure.
- She failed to document the patient’s vital signs through to the completion of the endoscopy procedure.
As the monitoring nurse for the endoscopy procedure, the RN was responsible for keeping the physician performing the endoscopy procedure updated regarding the patient’s vital sign changes.
During the endoscopy procedure, ICU Nurse entered the procedure room and alerted the physician performing the procedure that the patient was in distress, as indicated by his heart rate monitor,
At the physician’s direction, ICU Nurse gave the patient medication to lower his rapid heartrate (AFIB). However, the RN failed to properly document this AFIB episode, if at all.
During the endoscopy procedure, ICU Nurse took an off-cycle vital sign check and informed the physician that Patient A’s blood pressure was concerningly low.
She also failed to inform the physician performing the endoscopy procedure that the patient had vital sign changes and/or was in distress during the procedure.
After this endoscopy procedure, the RN documented having sent procedural specimens (thick secretions) to pathology for analysis.
Contrary to the RN’s documentation, she failed to send or otherwise transport to pathology these procedural specimens referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph.
After the endoscopy procedure, the RN failed to give a report to the ICU Nurse,
Because of this, the RN was summoned by the Texas Board of Nursing to defend her side. However, 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.
The RN voluntarily surrendered her registered nurse license, advanced practice registered nurse license, and prescriptive authorization through the agreed order.
Do not fret if you find yourself in a similar situation 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