The outcome of the patient’s health will be based on the nurse’s efforts and proper care. But if an LVN conducts improper care which can harm the patient, he or she may face complaints or allegation cases. An LVN should come prepared before appearing or facing the Board. A nurse attorney can be your best defense against any circumstances.
At the time of the incident, she was employed as a Staff Nurse at a hospital in Allen, Texas, and had been in that position for five (5) months.
On or about April 28, 2020, and April 29, 2020, while employed as a Staff Nurse at a hospital in Allen, Texas, LVN failed to administer Aspart insulin to a patient for elevated pre-meal blood glucose readings as ordered per sliding scale parameters. On April 28, 2020, LVN failed to administer three (3) units of Aspart insulin to a patient for a pre-meal blood glucose reading of 200 mg/dl as ordered per sliding scale parameters. On April 29, 2020, LVN failed to administer five (5) units of Aspart insulin to a patient for a pre-meal blood glucose reading of 336 mg/dl as ordered per sliding scale parameters. LVN’s conduct was likely to injure the patient from complications of untreated elevated blood sugar, including frequent urination, increased thirst, ketoacidosis, diabetic coma, and possible demise.
In response, LVN states that on April 28, 2020 and April 29, 2020, the unit was especially short staffed. LVN indicates that the 8 pm medications were changed to be given at 5 pm. LVN adds that management didn’t adjust staffing to help with dinner since the medication pass was changed to 5 pm and occurring at the same time the food conveyors were rolled to the unit. LVN states that the Certified Nurse Assistant kept interrupting her, asking if she was finished passing medications so she could help him with preparing the trays, passing out trays to over twenty (20) patients and patient feeding for patients unable to feed themselves. It is up to the medication nurse to enter the PRN medication of the MAR and click the PRN medication needing to be administered. LVN admitted to failing to do this, being so involved in patient care. LVN points out that a staff member, usually someone working on the floor, was assigned to obtain patients’ blood sugars and this staff member would document the blood sugar readings on any piece of paper, which was placed on one med cart or both carts. LVN states she remembers seeing paper at least one of these days. The blood sugar readings were entered into the computer only after the glucometer was docked for charging. The results were documented to an unseen area in the computer.
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)&(2)(A) and 22 TEX. ADMIN. CODE §217.12(1)(A),(1)(B),(1)(C)&(4).
The Texas Board of Nursing then subjected the LVN and her license into disciplinary action. The accusation would have been defended by an experienced and skilled Texas Nursing Law Attorney, had the LVN hired one. Hiring a Texas Nursing Law Attorney for defense is applicable for any kind of accusation laid against an RN or LVN.
For more details and to schedule a confidential consultation, you must approach one of the most experienced Texas Nursing Law Attorney, Yong J. An. He is an experienced nurse attorney who represented more than 300 nurse cases for RNs and LVNs for the past 16 years. You can call him at (832)-428-5679 to get started or to inquire for more information regarding nursing license case defenses.