It’s best to seek the help of a nurse attorney when facing accusations related to inappropriate assessment and intervention. However, some nurses tend to face these results instead without thinking that a nurse attorney is always reliable for matters such as these.
At the time of the initial incident, an RN was employed as a Home Health Nurse at a hospital in Richardson, Texas, and had been in that position for about three months.
On or about March 8, 2018, while employed as a home health nurse, the RN failed to appropriately assess and intervene when the tracheostomy (trach) of a patient became dislodged. The RN inappropriately reinserted the dislodged trach instead of placing a new emergency trach, as specified by emergency tracheostomy orders. Additionally, the RN failed to ensure the functionality of the reinserted trach. The RN’s conduct was likely to injure the patient from the risk of infection, inadequate breathing, respiratory distress, and possible demise.
On or about March 8, 2018, the RN failed to provide adequate respiratory support when she performed mouth to mouth resuscitation instead of placing an oxygen mask or Artificial Manual Breathing Unit (AMBU bag) on the patient’s nose and providing ventilation when the child’s trach became dislodged, as ordered by the physician if a new emergency trach could not be successfully inserted. The RN’s conduct was likely to injure the patient from the risk of inadequate breathing, respiratory distress, and possible demise.
On or about March 8, 2018, the RN failed to timely notify the physician and her supervisor that the patient’s tracheostomy became dislodged and the patient required manual respiratory support. The RN’s conduct was likely to injure the patient from unknown or undetected changes in condition and exposed the patient to a risk of inadequate breathing, respiratory distress, and possible demise.
On or about March 1 5, 2018, the RN failed to appropriately and timely assess and intervene when the patient had a respiratory emergency in that she failed to provide a tracheostomy (trach) change, per emergency tracheostomy orders. Instead, the RN removed the trach without attempting replacement. The RN failed to initiate CPR and timely call for 911. The RN failed to provide report on the patient’s condition to the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and Police when they arrived and failed to inform the first responders that the patient’s trach had been removed until after the patient was enroute to a nearby Emergency Room (ER). Subsequently, the patient was pronounced dead approximately 10 minutes after arriving at the ER. The RN’s conduct likely contributed to the patient’s suffering and demise.
The Texas Board of Nursing gave the RN the chance to defend herself. However, she was not able to provide a good defense for herself, especially when the drug screening results were brought up to her. Therefore, the Board placed her RN license to disciplinary action instead.
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 lawyers who helped various nurses in their cases since 2006. You may contact him 24/7 at (832) 428-5679 for more information or if you want to schedule a private consultation.