An essential aspect of nursing practice is to maintain the accuracy and precision of the administration of medicinal products, ensuring patient safety and optimal care. However, there are occasions in which errors occur that raise concerns about the competence of a nurse and compliance with practice standards. Such incidents could have serious implications for patients’ well-being and timely investigations into the nurse’s actions or judgment. A nurse attorney can provide crucial legal advice and support to help nurses negotiate these legal intricacies and safeguard their professional rights. They can also advocate for the nurses’ best interests throughout the process, guaranteeing a fair inquiry. Let’s dive into the sample case highlighted below to know how important hiring a nurse attorney could be.
It was the 2nd of February, 2020, when the RN inappropriately administered an unknown dosage of a controlled substance to a patient. Specifically, the patient had a two (2) milligram dose of the controlled substance ordered. The RN drew up four (4) milligrams and administered more than the ordered milligram doses. When the patient notified the management of the increased dosage, the RN stated that he administered more than the ordered number of milligrams, but less than the four (4) milligrams. Additionally, the RN falsely documented the actual dosage of medication that he administered to the patient in the patient’s medical record. He documented that he administered two (2) milligrams and wasted two (2). Subsequently, a Rapid Response was called the following morning for the patient when she became hypotensive. The RN’s action resulted in an incomplete medical record and was likely to injure the patient from an increased dosage of pain medication given without the benefit of the physician’s expertise.
On the other hand, the RN stated that he knowingly administered three (3) milligrams of the controlled substance, not two (2) milligrams as prescribed. He continued stating that this was an error in judgment. Furthermore, the RN stated that the patient came up from the post-op unit shortly after shift change. He said that he looked briefly at the patient’s orders before she was transferred up to the floor and saw that she had been receiving a lot of pain medications and that four (4) milligrams were ordered for her. The RN further stated that they had a computer network issue on the unit that evening so to withdraw any medications, he had to do a manual override on the Pyxis. Moreover, the RN stated that the patient requested pain medications and he went to pull some of her ordered medication. He said he remembered it being four (4) milligrams, so that was what he pulled from the Pyxis and when he scanned the medication, he got a notification that the orders had changed, and now it was ordered as two (2) milligrams. The RN stated that the patient stated how much pain she was in and how the reduced dosage would be insufficient. In addition to his statement, he said that the patient had been tolerating four (4) milligram doses all evening and her vitals were good. He realized making a bad decision by asking the patient if she would like a “little more” than the ordered dose. So with the patient’s full knowledge and consent, he proceeded to draw up three (3) milligrams and administer it to the patient. His statement went on by realizing again how he made another bad decision by wasting the remaining one (1) milligram of the controlled substance and documented it as two (2) milligrams. He stated that he was questioned and he admitted his error in professional judgment. Finally, he said that he should have not deviated from the order and that he had never done such before and made it certain to never do so again. The RN’s situation calls for an equipped and expert nurse attorney to help defend himself in court.
Unfortunately, the Texas Board of Nursing came to the decision to subject the RN’s license to disciplinary action. He was unable to hire a skilled Texas nurse attorney to fully defend his case which had led him in a tight situation.
Looking for a nurse attorney to guide you through legal challenges, contact The Law Office of Texas Nurse Attorney Yong J. An for a confidential consultation. We are available 24/7 you may call or text this number (832) 428-5679. Texas Nurse Attorney Yong J. An is an experienced nurse attorney who represented more than 600 nurse cases for RNs and LVNs for the past 18 years. Consult with us now!