Medical Records should be documented with complete and accurate information of patients along with correctly administered medications. Tampering or altering medical records is illegal and is a crime punishable with fines and jail time. By doing such, can mislead and can cause harm to patients. However, if you are dealing with such accusations or complaints, it is best to seek help from a Texas nurse lawyer.
At the time of the initial incident, he was employed as an RN at a hospital in Allen, Texas, and had been in that position for six (6) months.
On or about September 16, 2019, while employed as an RN at a hospital in Allen, Texas, the RN failed to accurately and/or completely document the number of attempts and the amount of difficulty experienced while accessing the Port-a-Cath for a patient who required intravenous access. Additionally, the RN failed to activate the chain of command when the patient refused a peripheral intravenous site and requested to speak with the owner/manager to have another staff member access her port. Later, the RN stated to the Chief Nursing Officer that he did not call for assistance because he felt there was no reason. Furthermore, the RN failed to adhere to the facility’s policy when accessing a port-a-Cath, which was assessed as having redness or swelling and the patient complaining of pain. RN’s conduct created an inaccurate medical record and could have deprived subsequent caregivers of vital information on which to base further nursing care and interventions.
Another incident happened on or about October 1, 2019, while employed as an RN at a hospital in Allen, Texas, the RN failed to completely and accurately document care given to the above-mentioned patient, such that he requested a change to the original medical record without clarifying how to properly do so. As a result, the staff member believed the RN asked him to delete the original medical record. RN’s conduct created confusion and could have resulted in the destruction of a medical record.
In response, the RN mentioned that he assessed the catheter site and observed that it appeared slanted with slight swelling on the right side, but there was no redness or tenderness. RN stated he reported this to the attending physician, who instructed him to attempt to access the port-a-cath. He did as instructed and in fact, was successful in one attempt. When interviewed by a member of the facility’s management team, his reporting of the slanted port-a-cath was mistaken as an indication that he had experienced difficulty in accessing the catheter when in fact, he was merely reporting the slanted port-a-cath to the physician as he believed he was required to do. RN denied asking the Emergency Room front desk staff member to remove a part of the medical record previously recorded from September 16, 2019, for the patient.
As a result, the Texas Board of Nursing decided to place his RN license under disciplinary action. It’s too bad that he failed to hire a nurse attorney for assistance, knowing that he had every reason to defend himself in the first place. His defense would have gotten better if he sought legal consultation from a Texas nurse lawyer as well.
Seek Guidance From A Seasoned Texas Nurse Lawyer!
Medical practitioners, such as nurses, often find themselves facing legal battles at least once in their careers. During these challenging times, it’s important to have someone you can rely on for support and guidance.
Nurse Attorney Yong J. An has handled hundreds of cases in more than a decade. He’s got the knowledge and expertise needed to help nurses with varying cases of malpractice and misconduct. Be sure to give him a call now rather than regret it later. Dial (832)-428-5679 now to ease your worries.