Accusations are stressful issues for an RN or LVN, except when a nurse attorney assists you against the case. The Texas Board of Nursing is responsible for all hearings against RNs and LVNs undergoing a case that may revoke, suspend, or only discipline their license. Take note that a nurse attorney can also defend a nurse’s license against accusations.
At the time of the initial incident, an RN was employed as an Emergency Department Staff Nurse at a hospital facility in Lewisville, Texas, and had been in that position for one (1) year and one (1) month.
On or about January 28, 2019, while employed as an Emergency Department (ED) Staff Nurse, the RN failed to confirm the dose of Epinephrine when the ED physician instructed her to administer the whole vial of a prefilled 10 ml syringe of Epinephrine containing, 1 mg of Epinephrine, during a pediatric code. Consequently, the RN administered an adult dose instead of the weight-based pediatric dose to a Patient, for a total of six (6) doses, during an unsuccessful code. The aforementioned patient was 9 months old, with a history of premature birth at 24 weeks with intracranial hemorrhage, VP shunt, cerebral palsy, and seizure disorder who was brought in by EMS with CPR in progress in asystole, with gray and cool skin, and pupils were fixed and dilated. The RN’s conduct was likely to injure the patient from adverse effects of an overdose of Epinephrine including hypertension and arrhythmias and may have contributed to the patient’s demise.
In response, the RN states she deeply regrets the loss of the patient, however, believes she provided care to the best of her ability, abiding by the instructions provided by her supervising physicians. The RN indicates that she responded to a code blue infant undergoing CPR. And relates she had never previously managed a code blue infant, informed another Nurse of her discomfort, and assumed that he would lead the code and administer medications as he had more experience. She also states that because an ED physician ordered the drug to be given, and she was one of the ED nurses, she felt it was her responsibility to administer it since no one else stepped up to the role. She explains the ICU Manager handed her the Epinephrine, and at that moment she trusted the instructions of the physician and the team of nurses with more experience in the area, but unfortunately, her team was frozen, terrified, and worried. The RN adds as she held the Epinephrine in her hands she asked two other nurses how to administer the Epinephrine and how much to administer, and both nurses replied “I don’t know.” The RN states she made eye contact, and asked the doctor “do you want me to give the entire vial? The whole thing?” and he replied “Yes” of the six (6) times the drug was given. The RN states she believes she failed in accepting a task she wasn’t completely comfortable with, however she followed her doctor’s orders. The RN adds that she now understands she must verbalize and deny any assignment she’s not completely comfortable with.
Due to these events, the Texas Board of Nursing found her guilty and her RN license was suspended.
The story of the RN only shows how challenging it is to keep hold of your RN license in Texas. Make sure that you know how to avoid a similar situation like this from happening in the future. Prepare yourself by engaging the services of a nurse attorney.
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 Nurse Attorney Yong J. An by text or call nurse attorney Yong 24/7 at (832) 428-4579.