A wrong administration of medication can bring a great risk of harm to any patient. It is part of the nurse’s duty to ensure that the patient was administered the correct medication and also in a timely manner. But if an RN incorrectly administered the medication, there’s a corresponding consequence to it. The Board may summon you and subject you to disciplinary action or even worse than that. But a nurse attorney on the other hand can help you get through such a situation.
An incident happened on or about October 12, 2016, while employed as a Staff Nurse at a hospital in Allen, Texas, the RN failed to transcribe into the electronic medication administration record (EMAR) of the patient, who is diabetic, an order for Novolin NPH 50 units every 12 hours. Subsequently, the aforementioned patient received no insulin for two (2) days. The RN’s conduct resulted in an inaccurate medical record and was likely to injure the patient from the non-efficacious treatment of their diabetes.
And on or about October 13, 2016, the RN failed to document the time that she administered Demerol 50 mg to the patient on the CSAR. The RN’s conduct resulted in an incomplete medical record and unnecessarily exposed the patient to a risk of harm by depriving subsequent caregivers of vital information to provide further care.
Then on or about November 30, 2016, through December 1, 2016, the RN failed to timely administer Humulin N20 as ordered every 12 hours at 8 pm to the patient when she incorrectly administered Humulin N 20 units at 6:25 am that was ordered at 8 am; incorrectly administered Humulin N 20 units at 9:09 pm when it was ordered at 8 pm; and incorrectly administered Humulin N 20 units at 6:30 am when it was ordered at 8 am. The RN’s conduct was likely to injure the patient in that failure to administer medications as ordered by the physician could have resulted in the non-efficacious treatment of their diabetes. ,
On or about December 1, 2016, the RN failed to sign the CSAR count as the oncoming nurse. The RN’s conduct created an incomplete Controlled Substance medication record for the shift.
As a response to the above incidents, the RN states that regarding the incident on October 12,
2016, she informed the Charge nurse that she was having difficulty putting orders into the EMAR. She also indicates that the Charge nurse said she would check it, but they both failed to go back and check, and it wasn’t caught until two (2) days later. The RN states that regarding the incident on October 13, 2016, she was not made aware of any incident report until the Peer Review. She added that regarding the incident on November 30, 2016, through December 1, 2016, she was told that the morning insulin was to be given by the night nurse despite the time written on the EMAR. And she also states that the incident on December 1, 2016, she was not made aware of any incident report until the Peer Review.
Because of the incident, the RB was put into disciplinary action by the Board. However, the RN failed to hire an experienced nurse attorney to help her with the case and made her regret not hiring a nurse attorney.
Avoid a similar thing from happening on your end. Make sure to find the right nurse attorney in case a complaint will be filed against you before the Texas Board of Nursing (BON).
Consult with Texas nurse attorney Yong J. An today if you have any questions about your disciplinary process by calling or texting him at (832) 428-5679 day, night or weekends.