The meticulous and accurate administration of medications is a fundamental aspect of nursing care, with patient safety at its core. However, instances arise where errors in medication administration can occur, potentially jeopardizing patient well-being. In such challenging circumstances, a nurse attorney becomes an invaluable allies for nurses facing allegations of medication errors. A nursing defense attorney possesses a deep understanding of healthcare laws, regulations, and standards, enabling them to provide essential support to nurses navigating the complexities of legal investigations.
At the time of the incident, she was employed as an RN at a hospital in Pasadena, Texas, and had been in that position for seven (7) years and ten (10) months.
On or about March 20, 2022, while employed as an RN at a hospital in Pasadena, Texas, the RN failed to properly set up a heparin intravenous (IV) infusion and a normal saline IV infusion for a patient. Instead of administering the heparin medication at a rate of 1 8 ml/hr., as ordered, the medication was administered at a rate of 125 ml/hr. Instead of administering the normal saline medication at a rate of 125 ml/hr., as ordered, the medication was administered at a rate of 18 ml/hr. Subsequently, the patient required intensive monitoring following the medication error. RN’s conduct was likely to injure the patient in that failure to administer medications as ordered could have resulted in non-efficacious treatment.
In response to the above incident, the RN stated that she followed hospital policy and protocol in that she had another nurse verify the doctor’s order, complete the Heparin flowsheet with her, and use the five rights of medication administration before starting the heparin drip. RN states that she and the oncoming nurse also verified the order and rates of infusion during the handoff report.
The above action constitutes grounds for disciplinary action in accordance with Section 301.452(b)(10)&(13) Texas Occupations Code and is a violation of 22 TEX ADMIN. CODE §217.11(1)(A),(1)(B),(1)(C)&(1)(M) and 22 TEX. ADMIN. CODE §217.12 (1)(B)&(4).
It’s too bad that she failed to hire a nurse attorney for assistance, knowing that she had every reason to defend herself. As a result, the Texas Board of Nursing decided to place her RN license under disciplinary action. Her defense would have gotten better if she sought legal consultation from a Texas nurse attorney as well.
So, if you’re facing a complaint from the Board, it’s best to seek legal advice first. 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 nursing cases since 2006 and has represented over 600 nurses before the Texas BON. To contact him, please dial (832)-428-5679 for a confidential consultation or for more inquiries.