An RN or LVN who violates the state laws and issuances from the Texas Board of Nursing (BON) should seek proper help from a nurse attorney. Doing so could make or break their cases. As a matter of fact, the license can be suspended or revoked if not defended properly.
At the time of the incidents, an RN was employed as a Registered Nurse at a hospital in Eagle Pass, Texas, and had been in that position for two (2) years and one (1) month.
On or about April 15, 201 9, through May 7, 2019, while employed as a Registered Nurse, the RN failed to appropriately assess and/or document his assessment of pain both before and after he administered pain medication to Patient 1 and Patient 2. The RN’s conduct resulted in incomplete medical records.
On or about April 16, 2019, while employed as a Registered Nurse, the RN removed two (2) milligrams hydromorphone from the medication dispensing unit for the Patient but failed to document administration of the medication in the patient’s medication administration record. The RN’s conduct resulted in an incomplete medical record and was likely to injure the patient in that subsequent caregivers would rely on his documentation to further medicate the patient.
In response to the incidents, the RN states that he charts the pre-medication pain assessment in the comment section of the medication administration record, describing location, intensity, and pain. The RN states that this has been his practice since his employment had begun and until now has not encountered any concerns about doing it this particular way. The RN states he therefore believes that he did document details of pain levels before administration of pain medication. The RN states that he sometimes documented pain medication administration on patients that were not assigned to him. The RN states that if he gives a medication, he documents his own administration ensuring proper documentation was completed. The RN states that this is a long-term care facility and he is familiar with most of the patients during their extended stay at the facility. The RN states that often he would help as able with other nurses’ patients, or if asked by a patient or family member, and he always communicated with the primary nurse about the needs of the patient. The RN states that he communicated with the primary nurse the patient’s need for pain medication, and offered to assist by administering the medication for the primary nurse as she was taking report at the beginning of her shift. The RN states that his way of administrating medications does not allow him to walk away from the patient’s room without appropriately charting the medication after given to the patient. The RN reports that once you pull the medication from the medication dispensing machine the only charting the nurse has to do is a chart at the bedside electronically using the computer in the room. The RN states that he personally would pull the medications, open up the patient chart, verify the medication falls within the times the patient can have it per orders, follow the five rights, give the medication, and then chart it once given. The RN states that the only way it might have appeared that he pulled a medication and did not chart would be if a fellow nurse was unable to leave a patient’s room, and asked him to pull a medication for him.
Because of the incident, the RN was disciplined by the Board of Nursing. It’s because she failed to hire a good nurse attorney for the case, which is why her defense was not matched with the evidence that the Board possesses.
A good nurse attorney is always the best line of defense for these cases. This is the reason why Nurse Attorney Yong J. An is dedicated to helping those nurses in need to settle their cases. For a private consultation and other inquiries, it’s best to contact him for assistance by dialing (832)-428-5679.