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Being a registered nurse is not an easy thing to do. There are many rules and regulations that must be complied with by every professional nurse in the state of Texas. The process of obtaining a nursing license is quite difficult. It can take years before one can become a professional RN nurse. However, its suspension or revocation can happen overnight depending on how serious a particular case is.

To illustrate how a nursing license can be suspended or revoked by the Texas Board of Nursing (BON), let us talk about the case of Michael. He is a vocational nurse in Houston, Texas. He has worked as a staff nurse and camp nurse in three different medical institutions. Everything was going on well for him until he was made a respondent in a complaint before the Texas Board of Nursing (BON). The registered nurse Irvin was employed as a nurse in the emergency department of a hospital.

During his employment, the RN nurse’s practice fell below the minimum standard of care in that she continually documented false entries in the medication administration record of a particular patient in the hospital. He kept on adding wrong entries and records to the file. This conduct resulted in an inaccurate medical record and was likely to deceive subsequent caregivers who relied on the information while providing care to the patient.

The conduct of the RN nurse Irvin is a violation of the Texas Administrative Code. This law expressly provides for the grounds for disciplinary action against a registered nurse in Texas. It states the following:

(b) A person is subject to denial of a license or to disciplinary action under this subchapter for:

(1) a violation of this chapter, a rule or regulation not inconsistent with this chapter, or an order issued under this chapter;

(2) fraud or deceit in procuring or attempting to procure a license to practice professional nursing or vocational nursing;

(3) a conviction for, or placement on deferred adjudication community supervision or deferred disposition for, a felony or for a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude;

(4) conduct that results in the revocation of probation imposed because of conviction for a felony or for a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude;

(5) use of a nursing license, diploma, or permit, or the transcript of such a document, that has been fraudulently purchased, issued, counterfeited, or materially altered;

(6) impersonating or acting as a proxy for another person in the licensing examination required under Section 301.253 or 301.255;

(7) directly or indirectly aiding or abetting an unlicensed person in connection with the unauthorized practice of nursing;

(8) revocation, suspension, or denial of, or any other action relating to, the person’s license or privilege to practice nursing in another jurisdiction or under federal law;

(9) intemperate use of alcohol or drugs that the board determines endangers or could endanger a patient;

(10) unprofessional conduct in the practice of nursing that is likely to deceive, defraud, or injure a patient or the public;

(11) adjudication of mental incompetency;

(12) lack of fitness to practice because of a mental or physical health condition that could result in injury to a patient or the public; or

(13) failure to care adequately for a patient or to conform to the minimum standards of acceptable nursing practice in a manner that, in the board’s opinion, exposes a patient or other person unnecessarily to risk of harm.

A notice was served to the RN nurse in accordance with the Texas Law. He waived her right to be represented by a nursing defense lawyer. As a result, he lost in the case. Lucky for her, the RN nurse only got her nursing license suspended. Do not let the same thing happen to you. Do you have questions about the Texas Board of Nursing disciplinary process? Contact The Law Office of Yong J. An for a confidential consultation by calling or texting 24/7 at (832) 428-5679 and ask for attorney Yong.