Any type of accusation or negligence can be defended, as long as there is a skilled nurse attorney ready to assist you during the hearing before the Board of Nursing. The Texas Board of Nursing has full jurisdiction regarding cases that may affect an RN or LVN’s license from suspension, disciplinary action, or revocation.
At the time of the initial incident, an RN was employed as a Registered Nurse at a health facility in Bryan, Texas, and had been in that position for five (5) months.
It was on or about February 15, 2021, while employed as a Registered Nurse, the said RN withdrew Morphine from the medication dispensing system for a patient, but failed to completely and accurately document the administration of the medication in the patient’s medication administration record (MAR) and/or nurses’ notes in that the documentation indicated the dose as incomplete. The RN’s action could have injured the patients, in that subsequent caregivers would rely on her documentation to further medicate the patients, which could result in an overdose. Additionally, it placed the hospital in violation of Chapter 481 (Controlled Substances Act) of the Texas Health and Safety Code.
On or about February 18, 2021, while employed as a Registered Nurse, the RN withdrew Morphine from the medication dispensing system for a patient but failed to follow the facility’s policy and procedure for wastage of the unused portion the medication. The behavior of the RN left medications unaccounted for, may have deceived the hospital pharmacy, and placed the pharmacy in violation of Chapter 481 (Controlled Substances Act) of the Texas Health and Safety Code.
It was on or about March 13, 2021, while employed as a Registered Nurse, the RN engaged in the intemperate and unlawful use of Amphetamine, Fentanyl, and Morphine in that she produced a specimen for a for-cause drug screen that resulted positive for Amphetamines, Fentanyl, and Morphine. Unlawful possession of Amphetamine, Fentanyl, and Morphine is prohibited by Chapter 481 (Controlled Substances Act) of the Texas Health & Safety Code. The use of Amphetamine, Fentanyl, and Morphine by a Nurse, while subject to call or duty, could impair the nurse’s ability to make rational, accurate, and appropriate assessments, judgments, and decisions regarding patient care, thereby placing a patient in potential danger.
On or about March 17, 2021, while employed as a Registered Nurse, The RN engaged in the intemperate and unlawful use of Fentanyl in that she produced a specimen for a reasonable suspicion/cause drug screen that resulted positive for Fentanyl and Norfentanyl, a metabolite of Fentanyl. Unlawful possession of Fentanyl is prohibited by Chapter 481 (Controlled Substances Act) of the Texas Health & Safety Code. The use of Fentanyl by a Nurse, while subject to call or duty could impair the nurse’s ability to make rational, accurate, and appropriate assessments, judgments, and decisions regarding patient care, thereby placing a patient in potential danger.
The RN also stated that all medications were documented completely and accurately, as well as wasted according to physician orders and hospital policy and procedures. The RN further added: “I was not contacted by the Medical Review Officer to review my current prescribed medications that would have resulted in a negative screen by verifying current prescriptions. In addition, I went to a drug screening facility and provided a urine specimen, as well as hair analysis drug testing directly after the above-mentioned screen, in which the results were negative on both the urine and hair drug analysis.”
After the incident and the investigation, formal charges were filed and mailed to the RN. According to the investigation made by the Texas Board of Nursing, the RN was found guilty and is subjected to disciplinary action.
The accusation would have been defended by an experienced and skilled nurse attorney, had the LVN hired one. Hiring a nurse attorney for defense is applicable for any kind of accusation laid against an RN or LVN.
For more details and to schedule a confidential consultation, you must approach one of the most experienced nurse attorneys in Texas, Nurse Attorney Yong J. An. He has assisted numerous nursing license cases since 2006. You may contact him by dialing (832)-428-567 if you wish to learn more information should you undergo accusations or any other case that may affect your license.