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Nursing assessment skills are one of the nurse’s most valuable assets. This is the main reason why whenever someone filed a complaint against you involving improper assessment, your license could be put in danger if not defended by a nurse attorney.

At the time of the incident, he was employed as an RN at a rehabilitation facility in Bryan, Texas and had been in that position for five (5) months.

On or about August 29, 2020, while employed as an RN at a rehabilitation facility in Bryan, Texas, RN failed to fully assess a resident when he had a sudden change in condition, including yelling, flailing his legs and arms, and incoherent and uncooperative behavior. Specifically, RN failed to obtain the resident’s blood pressure, pulse, temperature, respirations and blood glucose. The resident sustained multiple injuries during the above-referenced episode, and upon arrival of EMS, the resident was noted to have a critical blood glucose level of 30 mg/dL. Subsequently, the resident was admitted to a hospital. RN’s conduct was likely to injure the patient from potentially adverse complications of undetected and untreated fluctuations in blood glucose.

In response, RN states that he was new to the floor and unfamiliar with the patients. RN states that the report he received at hand-off was very poor. RN states that as a result he was unaware of the patient’s status as a diabetic. RN states that when he called the physician assistant on call that morning, he said this was a psych problem and not to send the patient to the hospital, as they would just send him back. RN states that the insulin reaction was atypical and unlike any he had seen before. RN states that the oncoming nurse, who was familiar with this patient, did not seem to think it was an insulin reaction as she didn’t assist in his care or even mention it could be his blood sugar. RN states that the patient’s violent behavior required constant hands-on work to prevent the patient from falling and RN states he feared the patient would knock her head on the tile floor, causing increased trauma. RN states that as a result, he was unable to leave him long enough to go get the medicine cart, unlock it, and get the equipment to check the patient’s vital signs. RN states that on the second call to the physician’s assistant he stated to send the patient to the hospital, but still insisted it was a psych issue, not a medical issue.

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)(M)&(2)(A) and 22 TEX. ADMIN. CODE §217.12(1)(A),(1)(B)&(4).

A case was ultimately filed against him before the Texas Board of Nursing (BON). The said allegation was fatal to the RN’s capability to perform the essential functions and duties. Sad to say, the nursing defense attorney who handled his case was not able to properly defend his interests and rights before the Board. The Texas Board of Nursing (BON) found him guilty of the offense alleged in the complaint and decided to place his RN license under disciplinary action.

If you also received a letter from the Texas Board of Nursing regarding a case or complaint filed against you, you should hire a nurse attorney immediately before it’s too late. 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. You may contact him 24/7 at (832) 428-5679 for more information or if you want to schedule a private consultation.