Every practicing RN license holder in the state of Texas is required to follow certain rules and regulations imposed by the government. These laws and statutes were implemented to ensure that the safety of the patients is protected by the state. An RN who commits any violation can place her RN License in jeopardy. The Texas Board of Nursing has the authority to revoke or suspend an RN license in the country for as long as there is a justifiable reason. Failure to hire a Texas nurse attorney could lead to RN license suspension.
At the time of the initial incident, she was employed as an RN at a hospital in Pharr, Texas, and had been in that position for one (1) year and eight (8) months.
On or about October 9, 2018, while employed as an RN at a hospital in Pharr, Texas, and working on the Adolescent Forensic Program Unit, RN inappropriately placed a patient in physical restraint, when the patient was not a danger to herself or others. During restraint application, staff repeatedly jerked and pulled on the patient’s left arm in a manner that was likely to injure the patient, and staff also pulled and lifted the patient by her shirt and shirt sleeve, exposing her left breast. The patient, who was diagnosed with Intermittent Explosive Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder with Psychotic Features, resisted being placed in the chair restraint and struggled for about ten minutes with more than ten staff members before staff successfully placed her in the restraint chair. RN also failed to ensure other patients were removed from the area prior to staff attempting to place the patient in restraint, and subsequently, two other patients became involved in the physical altercation during restraint application. RN’s conduct was likely to injure the patient due to inappropriate use of physical restraint, and inappropriate application of physical restraint.
In response, the RN states she implemented a mechanical restraint on the patient based on her previous behaviors, the overall safety of the unit, and safety for the patient herself due to the overall dynamics of the population. RN reports nursing staff had previously sustained severe injuries and one is subsequently wheelchair-bound with altered mental status.
The above actions constitute grounds for disciplinary action in accordance with Section 301.463(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),(1)(P)&(3)(A) and 22 TEX. ADMIN. CODE §217.12(1)(A),(1)(B),(4),(6)(A)&(6)(C).
The Texas Board of Nursing then subjected the RN’s license to disciplinary action. The accusation would have been defended by an experienced and skilled nurse attorney, had the RN hired one. Hiring a nurse attorney for defense is applicable for any kind of accusation laid against an RN or LVN.
Do you have questions about the Texas Board of Nursing disciplinary process? Contact The Law Office of Texas Nurse attorney Yong J. An for a confidential consultation by calling or texting 24/7 at (832) 428-5679. Texas Nurse Attorney Yong J. An is an experienced nurse attorney who has represented more than 200 nurse BON license cases for RNs and LVNs for the past 16 years.