An RN or LVN facing a case regarding several errors is in total grounds for suspension of license, especially if they failed to hire a nurse attorney. A nurse attorney can assure nurses the perfect means to get their license defended thanks to their experience in the field of nurse licensing cases. However, most nurses fail to do so.
One such failure to hire a nurse attorney occurred on or about March 1, 2016, to June 30, 2016, where the LVN failed to perform daily pain assessments for five patients. This was ordered by a physician, and could highly likely to injure the patients and cause inaccurate care decisions for caregivers due to the lack of assessment.
Another incident done by the LVN occurred on or about April 4, 2016, to July 11, 2016. The LVN signed out 112 tabs of Hydrocodone 10/325 from the medication cart for her patient but failed to document the whole treatment in the Medication Administration Record or Nurse’s Records. There was a lack of follow-up pain assessment that could have injured the patient further, and cause inaccurate treatment for the caregivers in the future.
The Texas Board of Nursing governs all cases that may affect the RN and LVN license. The Board noticed the complaint and decided to summon the LVN to defend against the case filed on her. This should be the right time for her to hire a nurse attorney.
Without a nurse attorney for help, she states that she did not document the pain assessments on the MAR. She added that nurses don’t need to document pain assessments in the MAR if the patient is not suffering from any pain or adverse effects. She also concluded that the narcotic sign out sheets can substitute the records form the MAR.
Her defense over the Board of Nursing was enough to subject her to a warning for disciplinary action. Gladly, the LVN was able to defend herself without the assistance of a nurse attorney. However, if it weren’t for her valid reason, she would have faced a different result.
So if you ever committed several errors, and you have a good reason for defense be sure to strengthen your defense with the assistance of a nurse attorney. Yong J. An, an experienced nurse attorney since 2006, can help you further by contacting him at (832)-428-5679 for further details.
