Timely and precise medical interventions are fundamental in providing effective patient care, especially in critical situations where a patient’s health is at risk. Nurses are entrusted with the responsibility of administering prescribed treatments promptly and accurately to address patients’ medical needs and ensure their well-being. However, instances where the proper administration of essential treatments is not carried out can raise significant concerns about patient safety and the nurse’s adherence to established protocols. When allegations of this nature arise, seeking legal guidance becomes crucial to address the matter comprehensively. A nurse attorney can provide invaluable support in navigating the legal complexities, ensuring a fair evaluation of the situation, and advocating for the nurse’s rights while maintaining the integrity of nursing practice and patient care standards.
At the time of the incident, he was employed as an RN at a medical facility in College Station, Texas, and had been in that position for three (3) years and six (6) months.
On or about December 11, 2021, while employed as an RN at a medical facility in College Station, Texas, RN failed to administer the second and third units of blood ordered STAT after the first unit of blood finished infusing for the patient, who had a critically low Hemoglobin of 4.1 and a Hematocrit of 12.7; and failed to administer Platelets ordered STAT to the aforementioned patient, who had a Platelet level of 11. RN’s conduct exposed the patient to a risk of harm in that failure to administer blood components as ordered by the physician could have resulted in non-efficacious treatment of the patient’s condition.
In response, RN states the patient was admitted to the ED due to complications of cancer treatment, not active bleeding. RN states the patient quickly was stabilized. and remained stable throughout his ED stay. RN states the hospital utilized the Medhost charting system in the ED and Allscripts in the rest of the hospital. The only way RN had seen doctors put orders in for multiple units of blood products on Medhost was one individual order per blood product, to clearly show which blood product was to be given and how many. The way the doctor input the order was the entire order inside one order, using a subtle options tab seldom used by doctors and that RN had never seen used for blood products. RN states the order that showed up on his order screen was only one unit of blood. RN states the patient’s condition was discussed with the doctor multiple times, and nothing was said about a second or third unit of blood, nor did the nurse who accepted care from RN initiate administration of blood.
The above actions constitute grounds for disciplinary action in accordance with Section 301.452(b)(13) Texas Occupations Code, and is a violation of 22 TEX ADMIN. CODE ยง217.11(1)(A),(1)(B),(1)(C)&(1)(M).
Unfortunately, the Texas Board of Nursing found him guilty of his deeds. His RN license was subjected to disciplinary action. He did not hire a skilled Texas BON attorney to fully defend his case which led to this decision by the Texas Board of Nursing.
Make sure that you will not make the same mistake as the RN mentioned above in her case before the Texas Board of Nursing (BON). Contact a Texas nurse attorney today who can provide you with a confidential consultation and evaluate your case and counsel you on the best steps to take. Texas Nurse Attorney Yong J. An is an experienced nurse attorney for various licensing cases for 16 years and represented over 300 nurses before the Texas BON. Contact Mr. An by calling or texting him 24/7 directly at (832) 428-5679.