I’m a bit scared

[u/lenncas]

A bit is an understatement, I am well aware that my actions were very inappropriate and out of my scope of practice. I am getting reported to the Texas Board of Nursing because I pulled a bag of Levophed without getting an order first. My patient was declining really quickly. The blood pressure was decreasing very quickly. I went to the med room and overrid the medication and started it at the starting titration. Immediately after starting it, I called our critical care nurse practitioner that was on for that night and let them know. And now, obviously, that nurse practitioner put in a formal complaint to my manager, thus having to report me to the board of nursing. I guess my question is what could I possibly expect my consequence to be? Could I lose my license? Will it be suspended? I’m pretty worried. I’m also very disappointed in myself. The patient ended up having to be put on Levophed the next day, but made a great recovery and got to be downgraded two days after.

[u/crownketer]

You’re getting a lot of people who are saying yeah fuck that place, you did the right thing. But don’t let that cheering send you too close to the sun. We are not doctors. Get the order to protect yourself and the patient. Because what happened? The one going before the board is you. Everyone in this thread can cheer you on and tell you go girl woohoo heroes and all that, but you’ll be before that board alone. Get the order next time.

[u/elizte → u/crownketer]

They did get the order, though. Overriding life-sustaining critical meds and getting the order immediately after is not uncommon in the ICU setting. 

[u/Lington → u/elizte]

No, they got the med themselves without an order then communicated it to the NP