Medication administration and IV treatments can be challenging for nurses. With so many protocols to follow and physician orders to verify, it’s no surprise that errors and documentation lapses can occur. When RNs find themselves in these situations, it’s essential to seek the guidance of a nurse attorney. In this context, a nurse attorney can help evaluate the legal implications of the nurse’s actions, offer strategic advice for responding to disciplinary inquiries, and ensure a fair assessment of the incident.
Let’s take a look at the recent incident that happened at a medical clinic in Galveston, Texas. The RN established intravenous (IV) access and administered dextrose 5% in lactated ringer (D5LR) fluids to a patient without checking the seven rights of medication administration and verifying the physician’s order. As a result, the RN administered the D5LR to the patient without a physician’s order in the medical record. Additionally, the RN failed to timely document this intervention in the patient’s medical record and instead documented it sixteen days later. RN’s conduct exposed the patient to a risk of harm in that starting an IV and administering fluids without a physician’s order could result in fluid overload. Additionally, the RN’s conduct resulted in an incomplete medical record. It exposed the patient to a risk of harm in that subsequent caregivers would not have complete information on which to base their care decisions.
Consequently, the RN responded to the allegations without seeking advice from a nurse attorney. The RN stated that she did establish IV access and administered IV fluids to the patient as communicated to her by her co-worker, without verifying the physician’s order. RN stated that she neglected to document the IV start in a timely manner due to the busy flow of the office and the events that occurred that day. She entered the necessary documentation as a late entry. RN stated that there was no evidence that her actions caused any or potential harm to the patient.
However, without seeking advice from an experienced nurse attorney and without enough evidence to prove she was not guilty, the RN lost the case. This is the reason why the Texas Board of Nursing placed her RN license under disciplinary action.
Contact Texas Nurse Lawyers Today
If you ever undergo cases such as this, it’s best to ask assistance from a skilled nurse defense attorney as it could make the case better in your favor. Be sure to find a nurse attorney who is experienced and knowledgeable in several nurse cases to ensure the best assistance possible. Texas Nurse Attorney Yong J. An is willing to assist every nurse in need of immediate help for nurse licensing cases. He has been an experienced nurse attorney for various licensing cases for the past 18 years. To contact him, please dial (832) 428-5679 for a free consultation or more inquiries.