Any type of accusation or negligence can be defended, as long as there is a skilled nurse attorney ready to assist you during the hearing before the Board of Nursing. The Texas Board of Nursing has full jurisdiction regarding cases that may affect an RN or LVN’s license from suspension, disciplinary action, or revocation.
At the time of the incident, an RN was employed as a Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner at a hospital facility in Arlington, Texas, and had been in that position for three (3) years and ten (10) months.
On or about December 7, 2020, while employed as a Psychiatric/ Mental Health Nurse, the said RN failed to appropriately assess the health history of the patient and collaborate with her supervising physician and/or the patient’s nephrologist prior to prescribing medications to the patient, who had medical conditions including kidney disease, hemodialysis status, diabetes, and current cardiac and antidepressant medications. Additionally, the RN failed to appropriately reduce the starting dose of venlafaxine hydrochloride based on the patient’s dependence on renal dialysis and prescribed the patient, who was already taking a beta-blocker and SNRI antidepressant, a second beta-blocker and SNRI antidepressant. Subsequently, after ingesting the new medications prescribed by the RN, the patient reported severe vomiting, low blood pressure, and worsening anxiety and depression with anger. The RN’s actions exposed the patient to a risk of harm from adverse side effects of combining beta-blockers and SNRI antidepressants, and also exposed the patient to the risk of harm from reduced renal clearance of the venlafaxine hydrochloride.
As a result of the incident, the RN states the patient’s medical issues were carefully considered during each interaction. The said RN also added that venlafaxine hydrochloride was prescribed at the lowest possible dose due to the patient’s renal failure. The RN further states when the patient returned to the clinic one (1) week later complaining of side effects, she discontinued the medication.
Because of the incident, the Texas Board of Nursing (BON) then subjected the RN and her license to disciplinary action.
The accusation would have been defended by an experienced and skilled nurse attorney, had the LVN hired one. Hiring a nurse attorney for defense is applicable for any kind of accusation laid against an RN or LVN.
For more details and to schedule a confidential consultation, you must approach one of the most experienced nurse attorneys in Texas, Nurse Attorney Yong J. An. He has assisted numerous nursing license cases since 2006. You may contact him by dialing (832)-428-567 if you wish to learn more information should you undergo accusations or any other case that may affect your license.