The responsibility of a nurse encompasses not only providing direct patient care but also recognizing and responding to changes in a patient’s condition, particularly after a recent hospitalization. When nurses find themselves entangled in such complex situations, the expertise of a nurse attorney becomes paramount. A nurse attorney possesses a dual understanding of nursing practice and legal intricacies, making them adept at evaluating cases involving alleged professional misconduct. In this scenario, a nurse attorney could meticulously review the events, assess the nurse’s actions against established standards of care, and develop a strategic defense.
At the time of the incident, she was employed as an RN at a hospital in Plano, Texas, and had been in that position for one (1) year and ten (10) months.
On or about October 26, 2020, while employed as an RN at a hospital in Grand Prairie, Texas, and caring for a patient, RN failed to notify the physician when the patient arrived in the clinic for hemodialysis with shortness of breath, a productive cough, and an oxygen saturation level of 78% on room air after a recent hospitalization for pneumonia. Instead, RN placed the patient on supplemental oxygen and initiated hemodialysis treatment. During the patient’s hemodialysis treatment, RN failed to notify the physician when supplemental oxygen only raised the patient’s oxygen saturation level to 85% an hour into treatment, and was never rechecked again, and the patient experienced hypertension with systolic blood pressure of over 200 at multiple points during hemodialysis. In addition, RN failed to appropriately intervene to treat the patient’s hypertension by administering clonidine as-needed for systolic blood pressure over 180, as ordered. Subsequently, the patient went to the hospital, where she was diagnosed with Covid-19 and transferred to another hospital for a higher level of care. RN’s conduct was likely to injure the patient in that failure to timely notify the physician and appropriately intervene may have delayed emergent interventions needed to maintain the patient’s health.
In response, RN states she asked the patient about her shortness of breath and the patient responded that she had been treated at the hospital for pneumonia and had not had recent hemodialysis. RN states that she believed the patient needed fluid removal due to visible edema and elevated blood pressure. RN states that throughout treatment, she stayed chairside with the patient and educated her as to why it would be best to go to the hospital. RN states that the patient pleaded for treatment and to not stop it because all she wanted to do was go home and not back to the hospital. RN states that she continued to encourage the patient to go to the hospital and advised that she would call for an ambulance or the patient could call a family member to take her to the hospital, as the patient’s blood pressure and oxygen saturation levels were not improving. The patient agreed to let a hemodialysis technician call her son and RN states she terminated treatment once he arrived. RN states that the patient walked out of the clinic with her son and went directly to the hospital.
The above action constitutes grounds for disciplinary action in accordance with Section 301.452(b)(10)&(13) Texas Occupations Code, and is a violation of 22 TEX ADMIN. CODE §217.11 (1)(A),(1)(B),(1)(C),(1)(M),(1)(P)&(3)(A) and 22 TEX. ADMIN. CODE §217.12 (1)(B)&(4).
Unfortunately, the Texas Board of Nursing found her guilty of her deeds. Her RN license was subjected to disciplinary action. She did not hire a skilled Texas BON attorney to fully defend her 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 17 years and represented over 500 nurses before the Texas BON. Contact Mr. An by calling or texting him 24/7 directly at (832) 428-5679.