An experienced nurse attorney has surely helped a lot of RNs and LVNs when it comes to cases that may lead to disciplinary action. Unfortunately, not all nurses were able to hire a nurse attorney as they underwent such cases. This incident that the RN from Texas committed was one of those examples.
At the time of the initial incident, an RN was employed as a Registered Nurse at a hospital facility in San Antonio, Texas, and had been in that position for seven (7) months.
On or about January 26, 2020, and January 27, 2020, while employed as a Registered Nurse, the RN signed out Temazepam, a controlled substance, for the patient, in excess of physician orders. The medication was ordered to be administered once a day at bedtime; the RN withdrew an extra dose of the medication on the consecutive overnight shifts and failed to document the administration of the medication in the patient’s medication administration record or nursing notes. Furthermore, the said RN administered additional controlled substances, Ativan and Tramadol, to the patient within approximately twenty minutes of the extra doses of Temazepam. The activity of the RN resulted in an incomplete medical record, and was likely to injure the patient in that administering medications in the excess frequency of the physician’s order, and/or combining with other benzodiazepine or narcotic medication could result in the patient suffering adverse effects such as oversedation, drowsiness, or respiratory depression.
In light of the circumstances, the RN states that he worked the night shift on this date taking care of 25 residents, with no medication aide. The RN describes that there were several patients at high risk of falls and the shift was very busy. The RN reports that the CNA asked him if there was something they could give to the patient, because he was anxious, pulling at his Foley, and not following directions. It was also mentioned by the RN that he administered Temazepam to the patient at 2355, not knowing that the patient was given a dose earlier in 2008 because it was not documented correctly by the previous caregiver. The RN also added that the following morning, he informed the NP by text about this incident from the previous night.
The following incident and defense against the case caused the Texas Board of Nursing to place the RN and her license into disciplinary proceedings. She would have sought assistance from a good nurse attorney to provide clarifications for the case.
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. Nurse Attorney Yong J. An, an experienced nurse attorney for various licensing cases for 14 years, can assist you by contacting him at (832) 428-5679.