It is a nurse’s duty to ensure patients are getting the proper treatment they need in a timely manner. They should also follow the physician’s order and no order should be missed. A missed order could harm a patient. Some RNs tend to miss orders and result in unnecessary harm to a patient. If this happens, an RN should be prepared in case he or she will be summoned by the Board for such conduct. An RN can hire a nurse attorney for this matter.
At the time of the incident, an RN was employed as a Staff RN at a hospital in Wichita Falls, Texas, and had been in that position for approximately ten (10) months.
On or about August 4, 2017, while employed as Staff RN and caring for a pregnant patient, the RN infused intravenous (IV) fluids rapidly using a pressure bag, without an order, without collaborating with the physician, and without monitoring the pressure bag. Subsequently, the patient complained of shortness of breath and chest pain, and the air was noted in the patient’s IV line. The patient was transferred to a higher level of care for evaluation of a possible air embolism. The RN’s conduct exposed the patient to a risk of serious injury from air embolism.
In response to the incident, the RN states that the hospital had no ability to triage the patient in the labor and delivery area. She determined that, in light of the patient being 35 4/7 weeks pregnant, having contractions, a positive drug screen for marijuana, concentrated urine, dehydration, decreased fetal movement, a G3POSABl obstetric history at age 1 8, the RN utilized a manual pressure bag to ensure rapid administration of the 2 liters of lactated ringers that were ordered as a “stat” bolus in conformity with normal labor and delivery practice to stabilize the mother and fetus as quickly as possible. The first liter of fluids was infused without the pressure bag; the RN applied the pressure bag to the second liter to keep the flow consistent. When the patient complained of distress, the bag had been infused and there was IV fluid tinged with blood in the IV tubing and hub.
The patient’s diagnosis after the transfer was hiatal hernia, GERD with esophagitis, and anxiety disorder with no evidence of air embolus. Further, the RN states that the application of a pressure bag is a nursing intervention and that no physician order is necessary for a nurse to utilize her nursing judgment in order to implement the nursing intervention.
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 nurse 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 200 nurses before the Texas BON. Contact Mr. An by calling or texting him 24/7 directly at (832) 428-5679.