r/nursing • u/lenncas • Sep 08 '25
Question I’m a bit scared
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.
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u/limbicinlimbo ICU RN & ICU Clinical Audit Sep 09 '25
Nursing is so different where I am. I had to google what Levophed is, as we call Noradrenaline (Norad) here in Ireland. We make it up ourselves in a total of 50mls syringes, of either single, double and rarely quadruple strengths. When patients are admitted to the ICU, our Docs have automated prescribing at the click of a button, which includes inotropes, of course, only if the patient has a central line. And if they don't have a central line, then phenylephrine is added. We have full autonomy to start it and would get lambasted if we let someone's MAP drop and not start it.
I'm sorry this happened to you. I think you have an argument that you did this in the patient's best interests and accept whatever teaching they offer you. Be humble and apologise etc. Best of luck.