Will they contact State Board

Nurses Medications

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Specializes in OB/GYN.

My friend was fired today because she gave a patient her order of NPH insulin and held the patients Regular insulin for the AM dose. The patients blood sugar was 121, so the patient wanted Reg held. About 2hrs later the patients blood sugars dropped to 55, then to 22. So patient was given protocol treatment for low insulin. Anyways, my friend was fired over the situation, but do they call State Board and notify them of the incident? Will her license be in jeopardy of this, because our job sad she probably gave Reg instead of NPH accidentally?

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Specializes in Critical Care, Float Pool Nursing.

I would go ahead and give a patient a dose of NPH insulin if their BG was 121 and it was a routine dose for them. How do they know that she gave regular instead of NPH?

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Specializes in OB/GYN.
I would go ahead and give a patient a dose of NPH insulin if their BG was 121 and it was a routine dose for them. How do they know that she gave regular instead of NPH?

They just assumed maybe she gave Reg because 2hrs later BS dropped to 55. The girl was very sure she only gave NPH and held the Reg. The patient even said they were giving her too high of a dose of insulin anyways, and told the nurse, so that's why she only gave NPH and not Reg. So our supervisor said she thinks she gave Reg cause the BS dropped to quick. I believe my friend cause she knows what she's doing, but the supervisor may have it out for her. That's why I wanted to know if they can contact State Board and try to do something to her license.

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Specializes in Cardiology and ER Nursing.

Anyone can contact the board of nursing about anything they want to. What matters is that Boards of Nursing generally do not act based on assumptions.

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Yes, thankfully the BON isn't likely to act upon such a groundless acusation.

Unfortunetly, if your friend wasn't in a union, they can fire her for any reason they please. Or no reason at all.

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If she held the dose hopefully she contacted the MD to notify and she documented accordingly. As mentioned earlier they may contact the board, but this doesn't mean the board will do anything.

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Specializes in OB/GYN.

Yes, they fired her! Said that it was in question to why did she give the patient a snack after giving the NPH? She said because the patient told her that her BS drops all day because they give her too much insulin, so my friend told the lady that she will give NPH and a lil sandwich and an orange incase it gets low before breakfast gets there. So she was wondering can they do something to her license but they can't prove it was an error. I think she told them she gave 12 of NPH and ordered was 19, but she did give 19, just got her patients mixed up and told them she gave 12. So I think that's why they fired her

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Specializes in OB/GYN.

My friend was fired today because she gave a patient her order of NPH insulin and held the patients Regular insulin for the AM dose. The patients blood sugar was 121, so the patient wanted Reg held. About 2hrs later the patients blood sugars dropped to 55, then to 22. So patient was given protocol treatment for low insulin. Anyways, my friend was fired over the situation, but do they call State Board and notify them of the incident? Will her license be in jeopardy of this, because our job sad she probably gave Reg instead of NPH accidentally? Made a mistake and said she gave 12 of NPH, but really gave 19, which was ordered? She got confused and said 12, so I think that's why they fired her also. She did sign that she gave 19 though.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

Wait...she got her patients mixed up, gave another number of units-wrong dose then documented for the other...but management thinks she gave the wrong insulin.

How confusing! :banghead:

Insulin is a "high alert med," hence the issue and the firing...Not sure if the Board will even get involved; HOWEVER, this is why "six rights" and triple checking, even with another person, is SO important.

I feel as though there is more to the story, of course...the patient may get a Regular/NPH protocol...if she was going to hold, she needed to call the provider. This patient may need her basal rate constant; holding the regular can rebound the patients sugar into a higher amount, resulting in a higher dose of Regular insulin.

She may have been fired for not collaborating with the provider, hence practicing our side her scope in some instances; and committing a med error, and error in documentation; delay in reporting if she didn't tell them immediately-this includes not even realizing that they made the med error.

I'm not sure whether she can or will be brought in front of the BON. The most your friend can do is review the nurse practice act, and if your friend had , to contact the insurance provider to answer her questions.

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Specializes in OB/GYN.

Yes, the order was for 19 of NPH, she gave 19 of NPH, but when asked, she told them she gave 12, thinking of another patient. So she did right, but told them differently cause she was thinking of someone else. Hopefully they won't contact State Board. I think being fired is more than enough

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Specializes in NICU.

Yes they will report it to the BON. She will need to list that she was fired on all applications for jobs and the renewal of her license. The board will decide if she needs remedial training with a temporary suspension of her license.

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Specializes in OB/GYN.

Wow, that's not cool! I was told they shouldn't contact them, and she doesn't have to put it on applications. How will she know if the board was contacted or not?

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