As healthcare professionals, RNs carry immense responsibility for accurately administering medications and maintaining meticulous documentation to ensure patient safety and well-being. However, there are unfortunate instances when an RN’s actions may fall short of the expected standards, potentially jeopardizing patient care and raising concerns about professional conduct. During times of distress and potential legal consequences, RNs can greatly benefit from the expertise and support of a nurse attorney. A nurse attorney can guide the RN through any investigations or disciplinary actions, offer advice on how to handle such situations, and ensure the RN’s interests are protected throughout the legal process.
At the time of the initial incident, she was employed as an RN at a hospital in Laredo, Texas, and had been in that position for three (3) years and five (5) months.
On or about September 6, 2021, while employed as an RN at a hospital in Laredo, Texas, RN scanned medications at 0656 and 0659 and documented the medications as administered; however, RN reported to the oncoming nurse that the medications were pulled from the Omnicell and left in the medication in the locked medication cart because the veteran was unavailable. The oncoming nurse later administered the medications to the veteran. RN’s conduct could have resulted in an inaccurate medical record and could have injured the patient in that subsequent caregivers would not have reliable information on which to base their care decisions.
On or about September 12, 2021, through September 20, 2021, while employed as an RN at a hospital in Laredo, Texas, RN inaccurately documented in the RN shift report form that a veteran had not come out to the nurse’s station for morning medications and vitals. The RN had previously scanned and documented that she had administered the morning medications. Additionally, RN inaccurately documented that a veteran came out to the nurse station for morning medications, veteran was afebrile, vital signs stable, veteran returned to room. RN then incorrectly documented on the RN shift report to the oncoming nurse that the patient had not come out for morning medications and vitals. The medications were scanned as administered from 0716 to 0717. RN’s conduct resulted in an inaccurate RN shift report and could have injured the patient in that subsequent care givers would not have reliable information on which to base their care decisions.
In response, RN states when she went to the patient’s room with the day shift nurse to administer the patient’s medications, he was in the shower, so she informed her assistant nurse manager. The assistant nurse manager told RN and the day shift nurse not to waste the medications but to put them in the medication drawer and to administer them when the patient was out of the shower. RN and day shift nurse followed these instructions. RN admits she should have followed her initial instincts and wasted the medications instead of following the assistant nurse manager’s order. RN points out she failed to correct the shift report, but the information was correctly entered in BCMA.
The above actions constitute 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)(D),(1)(M)&(2)(A) and 22 TEX. ADMIN. CODE §217.12(1)(A),(1)(B),(1)(C)&(4).
Because of this, the RN was summoned by the Texas Board of Nursing to defend her side, but the RN failed to hire a nurse attorney to help her with her case and without proper defense, the Texas Board of Nursing then decided to place her RN license under disciplinary action.
If you also received a letter from the Texas Board of Nursing regarding a case or complaint filed on you, you should hire a nurse attorney immediately before it’s too late. Equip yourself with the knowledge and expertise you need for a successful outcome by consulting a knowledgeable and experienced Texas nurse attorney. Texas Nurse Attorney Yong J. An is one of those dedicated nurse attorneys who helped represent more than 300 nurse cases for the past 16 years. Contact the Law Office of Yong J. An 24/7 through text or call at (832) 428-5679 for a confidential consultation regarding any accusations from the Texas BON.