The Texas Board of Nursing (BON) is the government agency that has jurisdiction to hear and decide administrative cases involving RN and LVN in Texas. It is also the agency that is responsible for overseeing the practice of professional nursing all over the state of Texas. Any RN or LVN who is guilty of violating state laws and issuances from the Texas Board of Nursing (BON) may be subjected to penalties or fines if not properly defended by a nurse attorney. As a matter of fact, the RN license and LVN license can even be suspended or revoked.
On or about July 20, 2018, through August 13, 2018, while employed as a Family Nurse Practitioner in Beaumont, the RN incorrectly prescribed duloxetine 20mg to a patient, in that she intended to prescribe fluoxetine 20 mg, based on the patient’s prior use. She failed to document in the medical record regarding patient education on the use of antidepressant medications including the risk of increases in suicidal thoughts.
Additionally, the RN failed to notify her supervising physician once she became aware of the error on August 10, 2018. Subsequently, two days later the patient was admitted to the emergency room for a psychiatric evaluation, as she was expressing suicidal thoughts.
The RN’s conduct resulted in an incomplete medical record and exposed the student to a risk of harm in that failure to prescribe the correct medication could have resulted in the non-efficacious treatment of the patient’s condition.
In response to the incident, the RN states that she gave the patient a prescription and a verbal review of potential side effects and interactions with other substances, including alcohol. The RN states that days later the Director informed her that the patient had been found by campus police sitting on a curb seemingly intoxicated and had scratch marks on his arm. The RN states that the patient was taken to a local emergency room and discharged the following day.
The RN reports that the patient did follow up with her that same week for a refill on the antidepressant. She states that the patient listed duloxetine as the medication. She states that she questioned the student on the name of the medication and asked to see the prescription bottle, but the patient did not bring the medication with him to the clinic.
The RN states that the patient was given a prescription for the fluoxetine and instructed to stop the duloxetine. The RN states that she immediately notified the director and was told that the important aspect was that she had given the patient a prescription and did not withhold treatment. The RN states that the patient did receive an antidepressant, just not the same one that he had previously taken.
The RN states that an incident report was completed and regretfully her supervising physician was not notified by her.
This is just one of the many cases why every nurse in Texas is expected to act with prudence in practicing the profession. Any form of gross negligence, disobedience or any form of offense on the part of an RN or LVN is never excused.
Any criminal, negligence or administrative case 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.
The RN lost the case simply because she failed to find an effective and efficient nurse attorney. Avoid committing the same mistake she did. Find the right nurse attorney in Texas to help you with your needs. Contact nurse attorney Yong J. An directly by calling or texting him at (832) 428-5679 for a discreet consultation.