A skilled and knowledgeable nurse attorney can provide utmost assistance over cases that you may deny committing. However, a lack of a nurse attorney could subject you and your license to any possible sanction depending on the severity of your misconduct.
At the time of the initial incident, an RN was employed as a Registered Nurse (RN) at a hospital in Longview, Texas, and had been in that position for twelve (12) years and five (5) months.
On or about April 20, 2020, through April 28, 2020, and August 17, 2020, through August 23, 2020, while employed as a Registered Nurse (RN), the RN failed to perform a pain assessment and/or document her pain assessment for the patients prior to administering pain medications.
Additionally, the RN failed to perform a pain reassessment and/or document her reassessment thirty (30) minutes after administering the pain medications. The RN’s conduct created incomplete medical records and may have exposed the patients to ineffective pain management.
On or about April 21, 2020, and April 28, 2020, the RN withdrew one (1) Morphine 2mg/ml injection, one (1) Morphine 30mg tablet, and one (1) Morphine 4mg/ml injection from the medication dispensing system for the patients but failed to document the administration of the medications in the patients’ medication administration records (MARs) and/or nurses’ notes. The RN’s conduct was likely to injure the patients in that subsequent caregivers would rely on her documentation to further medicate the patients, which could result in an overdose. Additionally, the RN’s conduct placed the hospital in violation of Chapter 481 (Controlled Substances Act) of the Texas Health and Safety Code.
On or about April 21, 2020, April 28, 2020, August 17, 2020, and August 23, 2020, the RN withdrew one (1) Morphine 2mg/ml injection, one (1) Morphine 30mg tablet, one (l) Morphine 4mg/ml injection, one (1) Hydromorphone 2mg/ml injection, and one (l) Clonazepam 0.5mg tablet from the medication dispensing system for the patients, but failed to follow the facility’s policy and procedure for wastage of the unused portions of the medications. The RN’s conduct left medications unaccounted for, was likely to deceive the hospital pharmacy, and placed the pharmacy in violation of Chapter 481 (Controlled Substances Act) of the Texas Health and Safety Code.
On or about April 27, 2020, and April 28, 2020, the RN inappropriately administered PO (by mouth) and IV (intravenous) Morphine to a patient at the same time and outside the parameters of the physician’s orders. The RN’s conduct was likely to injure the patient in that failing to administer pain medications as ordered by the physician could result in the patient suffering from adverse reactions.
On or about April 28, 2020, the RN removed Morphine 4mg/ml from the medication dispensing system under the profile of a patient and administered it to another patient. The RN’s conduct was likely to defraud the patient of the cost of the medication and placed the hospital in violation of Chapter 481 (Controlled Substances Act) of the Texas Health and Safety Code.
On or about April 28, 2020, the RN removed Morphine 4mg/mI from the medication dispensing system for the patient in the excess frequency of the physician’s order. The RN’s conduct placed the pharmacy in violation of Chapter 481 (Controlled Substances Act) of the Texas Health and Safety Code.
In regards to the numerous incidents, the RN asserts that she completed the pain assessments and administered the pain medications to her patients, but admits that sometimes she was in a hurry as the unit was very busy and she may have forgotten to document the patients’ medical records. Regarding the administration of PO and IV Morphine, Respondent acknowledges that she may have overlooked while scanning the two different medications, that she administered the medication outside the parameters of the physician’s order. Regarding the incorrect Morphine pull, the RN admits that she unintentionally pulled two pain medications for the patient and admits she gave one to a patient and one to another patient. The RN states that both patients had the same medication orders and both were requesting pain medication.
As a result, the Texas Board of Nursing (BON) then decided to subject the RN and her license to disciplinary proceedings. The said proceedings shall ensure the safety of the patient, along with a better future for the RN’s career. However, she should contact a nurse attorney in order to receive assistance regarding the case, especially if the RN sincerely thinks of it as an accusation.
For more details or for a confidential consultation regarding accusations, it’s best to contact an experienced Nurse Attorney. Yong J. An is an experienced nurse attorney which helped RNs and LVNs defend against several cases since 2006. You can call him at (832) 428-5679 to get started or to inquire for more information regarding nursing license case defenses.