The Texas Board of Nursing (BON) has the jurisdiction to hear and decide cases involving the practice of professional nursing in Texas. Any RN or LVN found guilty for violating the state laws and regulations as well as charged with a case may be subjected to a disciplinary case if not properly defended by a nurse attorney.
On or about August 15, 2018, while employed as a Registered Nurse in a hospital in Humble, the RN administered Ativan intravenously (IV) in error to a patient instead of Versed IV, as ordered by the physician, for pre-medication prior to bedside Transesophageal Echocardiogram (TEE) and Cardioversion procedures.
Further, the RN inappropriately administered 20mg Rocuronium, à paralytic with rapid to intermediate onset, for pre-medication prior to bedside Transesophageal Echocardiogram (TEE), as ordered by the physician when the patient was insufficiently sedated for the procedure. The patient was not intubated and the physician was not planning on intubating the patient and declined to authorize additional sedation. After the RN administered the Rocuronium intravenously, the patient became bradycardic due to lack of oxygen, a code was called, the patient was intubated, became pulseless, advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) was started, and the patient was successfully resuscitated and stabilized.
Her actions likely caused delayed distress for the patient in response to receiving a paralytic medication without sufficient sedation and contributed to the patient becoming bradycardic, then pulseless and unresponsive.
During the hearing, the RN admits she administered Ativan IV Img in error, instead of Versed IV 1mg. She reports that she regrets her error, but it had nothing to do with the patient becoming bradycardic. She states the patient became bradycardic about forty (40) seconds after she administered Rocuronium, per physician orders, while the patient was not intubated. She reports she insisted to the physician that they should use something else, but the physician failed to take heed of her urgings, and said he had done this before and had no trouble.
Because the RN failed to properly present and defend her case against the court. She was disciplined by violating Texas Board of Nursing regulation.
Avoid the similar thing from happening on your end. Make sure to find the right nurse attorney in case a complaint will be filed against you before the Texas Board of Nursing (BON).
Consult with Texas nurse attorney Yong J. An today if you have any questions about your disciplinary process by calling or texting him at (832) 428-5679 day, night or weekends.