Facing the Texas Board of Nursing is never easy. You should seek help from a nurse attorney if you dealing with cases that are hard to overcome. Having a nurse attorney is a relief especially when you are having a hard time dealing with and winning against accusation cases.
At the time of the incident, an RN was employed as a Registered Nurse at a hospital in Pasadena, Texas, and had been in that position for nine (9) years and (8) months.
On or about March 25, 2019, the RN failed to timely notify the physician of the elevated blood pressure of the patient, when the patient’s blood pressure was noted to be in the 160s and continued to increase to 195/92mmHg. The order stated to notify the physician if the patient’s systolic blood pressure was greater than 160. Subsequently, the physician was notified by the oncoming shift and the patient had to receive intravenous blood pressure medication in order to reduce her blood pressure. The RN’s conduct exposed the patient to a risk of harm from continued elevated blood pressure, including the risk of stroke.
In response to the incident, the RN states that she received the patient at approximately 11:30 am when the patient was brought to the neurosurgery Intensive Care Unit (ICU) after cervical spine surgery. Between 12:00 and 12:30, the patient’s systolic blood pressure was 163-169 and at that time, RN notified the patient’s surgeon, who requested that a hospitalist evaluate the patient’s blood pressure issues. In the mid to late afternoon, the hospitalist examined the patient and wrote medication orders, including restarting the patient’s home blood pressure medications, losartan, and hydrochlorothiazide. At 4:00 pm, the patient’s systolic blood pressure was 163 and at 4:30 pm, the RN gave pain medication. When she checked on the patient an hour later after taking care of other patients, the patient’s systolic blood pressure was in the 180s. The RN reviewed the hospitalist’s orders and noted that the patient’s blood pressure medications were ordered to be started the following morning. She obtained revised orders through the pharmacy allowing the blood pressure medications to be given at 7:00 pm, and she informed the next shift at shift report. On the next shift, the patient refused the administration of one of her two ordered blood pressure medications, hydrochlorothiazide, after which her systolic blood pressure increased to 195 at 8:00 pm and the night shift nurse called a hospitalist.
The RN should have sought assistance from a good nurse attorney to provide clarifications on the case as she was disciplined by the Board. Having a good and reliable nurse attorney around during a trial or any proceedings can result in a different outcome.
If you’ve ever done any errors or misdemeanors outside or during your shift as an RN or LVN, and you wish to preserve your career and your license, an experienced nurse attorney is what you need. You may contact Nurse Attorney Yong J. An, an experienced nurse attorney for various licensing cases for 16 years, can assist you by contacting him at (832) 428-5679.