Nursing assessment skills are one of the nurse’s most valuable assets. This is the main reason why whenever someone filed a complaint against you involving negligence and medical malpractice, your license could be put in danger if not defended by a nurse attorney.
At the time of the incident, she was employed as an RN at a hospital in Carrollton, Texas, and had been in that position for nine (9) years and five (5) months.
On or about October 13, 2020, while employed as an RN at a hospital in Carrollton, Texas, RN failed to adequately assess and intervene for a patient when he was found gasping for air with an oxygen saturation level of 79%. RN failed to check that the patient’s oxygen concentrator was on and providing supplemental oxygen, and failed to assess the patient’s pulse, blood pressure, or blood glucose. Additionally, RN failed to stop a licensed vocational nurse from incorrectly and repeatedly pressing on the patient’s chest/abdomen to check for responsiveness, and inaccurately documented in the medical record that a sternal rub was performed. Subsequently, emergency medical services (EMS) transported the patient to the hospital where he suffered cardiac arrest and expired. RN’s conduct was likely to injure the patient from clinical care decisions based upon incomplete assessment information, including a delay in treatment needed to prevent further complications.
In response, RN states that the incident occurred when the X-ray tech left the room after obtaining the ordered chest X-ray. RN states that she suctioned the patient (who suffered from chronic respiratory failure and had a trach collar) frequently throughout the shift as she cared for him and her other 20 patients. Upon entering the patient’s room, RN states that she observed him to be in acute respiratory distress, so she immediately stepped out of the room and summoned for help from the other nurses. RN states that she immediately suctioned to clear his airway and ensure patency then proceeded to give rescue breaths via Ambu bag to improve his oxygenation saturation which was around 79% via trach collar at the time. RN states that she called 911 herself while other nurses continued to give him rescue breaths, and then she gave an EMS report. RN adds that she did not manually palpitate for a pulse because the patient had a pulse oximeter on at the time showing a pulse and oxygen saturation. RN states that she did not initiate chest compressions or direct any other nurse because the patient had a pulse. RN states that when EMS arrived, they did not perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation on the patient as he was able to breathe spontaneously and his oxygen saturation was stable, which had increased to 97%-98% per the pulse oximeter readings.
The above action constitutes grounds for disciplinary action in accordance with Section 301.452(b)(10)&(13), Texas Occupations Code, and is a violation of 22 TEX. ADMIN. CODE §217.11(1)(A),(1)(B),(1)(M),(1)(P),(1)(U)&(3)(A) and 22 TEX. ADMIN. CODE §217.12(1)(A),(1)(B)&(4).
Unfortunately, the Texas Board of Nursing found her guilty of her deeds. Her RN license was subjected to disciplinary action. She did not hire a skilled Texas BON attorney to fully defend her case which led to this decision by the Texas Board of Nursing.
Make sure that you will not make the same mistake as the RN mentioned above in her case before the Texas Board of Nursing (BON). Contact a Texas nurse attorney today who can provide you with a confidential consultation and evaluate your case and counsel you on the best steps to take. Nurse Attorney Yong J. An is an experienced nurse attorney for various licensing cases for 16 years and represented over 300 nurses before the Texas BON. Contact Mr. An by calling or texting him 24/7 directly at (832) 428-5679.