Any RN in Texas may be subjected to a disciplinary proceeding before the Texas Board of Nursing. Whenever an LVN or an RN finds herself in such a situation, she will need to find the best Texas nurse attorney in the country. This is important, as it is her only chance to protect her RN / LVN license. Otherwise, the Texas Board of Nursing may find her guilty in the administrative case and order for the revocation of her RN / LVN license.
At the time of the initial incident, she was employed as an RN in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at a medical facility in Edinburg, Texas, and had been in that position for one (1) year and three (3) months.
On or about January 15, 2019, while employed as an RN in the ICU at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, RN failed to adjust the rate of norepinephrine being administered to a patient in order to keep the patient’s mean arterial pressure above 65, as ordered. RN’s conduct could have contributed to the injury to the patient in that failure to administer medications as ordered could have resulted in non-efficacious treatment.
In response, RN states that she called the physician to the bedside because the patient was unstable with tachycardia, low blood pressure, and needed an arterial line and a central line. When the physician was at the bedside, RN states that she insisted that the physician place an arterial line to get an accurate blood pressure reading and place a central line to run the norepinephrine drip. RN states that the physician was hesitant about starting any immediate interventions because the patient was combative, and the physician wanted her to wean down the norepinephrine. The physician placed orders for an electrocardiogram and a fluid bolus. RN states that the patient did not respond to the fluid bolus and she again called the physician asking why he wanted to wean the norepinephrine drip and his response changed to the family not wanting any lines placed at this time. The physician stated that he would like to have the norepinephrine drip off, so the RN states she asked him to discontinue the medication order and write orders for blood pressure parameters. RN states that the physician wrote an order for blood pressure parameters of MAPs above 50 and to notify him otherwise.
The above actions constitute grounds for disciplinary action in accordance with Section 301.452(b)(13), Texas Occupations Code, and are a violation of 22 TEX. ADMIN. CODE §217.11(1)(A),(1)(B),(1)(C),(1)(D)&(1)(M).
However, the RN failed to hire a nurse attorney to help her with her case. Because of this, the RN was disciplined by the Texas Board of Nursing.
For more details and to schedule a confidential consultation, you must approach an experienced Texas Nurse attorney, Attorney Yong J. An. He is an experienced nurse attorney for various licensing cases for 16 years and represented over 200 nurse BON license cases before the Texas BON. You may contact him by calling (832)-428-567 if you wish to learn more information should you undergo accusations or any other case that may affect your license.