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, he was employed as an RN at a hospital in Edinburg, Texas, and had been in that position for one (1) year and seven (7) months.
On or about August 2, 2020, while employed as an RN at a hospital in Edinburg, Texas, RN administered Versed 2mg and Fentanyl 100mcg to a patient, who already had a drop in oxygen saturation levels, without a physician’s order or the benefit of being assessed by a physician. Consequently, the patient’s oxygen saturation levels dropped even lower, and RN had to administer a reversal agent and call the Rapid Response Team. RN’s conduct exceeded his scope of practice and potentially exposed the patient to possible adverse outcomes in that administering sedating medications without a physician’s order and increased medical supervision could have resulted in respiratory distress and/or arrest.
In response, RN states that he fully accepts responsibility with respect to the allegation that he administered the two narcotic medications when there was no physician’s order at the time. RN explains that he was acting to assist the patient with pain management under the circumstances of that particular instance. RN states that he fully understands that the administration of medications must be done pursuant to a physician’s order, and to do so without a physician’s order is practicing outside of his scope of practice. RN states that he is remorseful, deeply regrets his actions, and accepts responsibility. RN states that this specific incident is not indicative of his practice as a whole.
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)(C),(1)(M)&(1)(P) and 22 TEX. ADMIN. CODE §217.12.(1)(A),(1)(B)&(4).
As a result, the Texas Board of Nursing decided to place his RN license under disciplinary action. It’s too bad that he failed to hire a nurse attorney for assistance, knowing that he had every reason to defend himself in the first place. His defense would have gotten better if he sought legal consultation from a Texas nurse attorney as well.
So, if you’re facing a complaint from the Board, it’s best to seek legal advice first. Texas Nurse Attorney Yong J. An is willing to assist every nurse in need of immediate help for nurse licensing cases. He is an experienced nurse attorney for various licensing cases for the past 16 years and represented over 300 nurses before the Texas BON. To contact him, please dial (832)-428-5679 for a confidential consultation or for more inquiries.