Vaught was ordered to collect the Versed from a computerized medication cabinet but grabbed vecuronium instead, leading to Murphey becoming brain dead. During Fridays hearing, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation agent Ramona Smith, who interviewed Vaught after Murpheys death, testified that the nurse didnt seem remorseful about what happened. In some cases, the patient is contacted and blood work ordered to check Hepatitis B and C status as well as HIV. However, reporting should not be delayed treatment should begin immediately to help prevent transmission of bloodborne pathogens. Prosecutors accused Vaught of disregarding warnings when she grabbed the wrong drug from an electronic dispensing cabinet that required her to search for it by name. Seattle Childrens Hospital fired Kim shortly afterward. She was questioning her self-worth.. 806 8067 22 Registered Office: Imperial House, 2nd Floor, 40-42 Queens Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 3XB, Taking a break or withdrawing from your course, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/4840066/Nurse-admits-manslaughter-after-Alzheimers-victim-dies-of-broken-neck.html, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1118964/, Oxford Postgraduates: MSc Energy Systems 2023, Official University of Edinburgh 2023 Applicant Thread. Some of them had caused deaths, Dr. Wu says. Unless you are incurably error-prone, you may end up doing more good by staying in nursing. Of course, you might want to slow down so you can be extra careful. But, according to the Tennessean, Murphey needed a final scan in the radiology department first. But, according to the Tennessean, Murphey needed a final scan in the radiology department first. The case is inspiring calls for policies that support nurses, and patients . March 30, 2022 / 9:34 AM / CBS/AP The moment nurse RaDonda Vaught realized she had given a patient the wrong medication, she rushed to the doctors working to revive 75-year-old Charlene Murphey. Proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) when performing a procedure or task that has a high risk of exposure to body fluids is also critical. Not often, grant you, but it happens. For example, HR departments use nurses to recruit other nurses. Get adequately skilled, then do your best, and when you make a mistake, learn from it, forgive yourself, and keep trying to be the best you can be. You are such a wonderful advocate for your patients and families, Kims supervisor, Cathie Rea, wrote in Kims 2009 annual performance review. ", Prior to the accident, Marc Smith said his father lived independently with his wife. What do you say when you almost killed a patient?. Paragliders record never-before-seen footage of world's second-tallest mountain, Elizabeth Holmes has 2nd child as prison sentence looms, Dozens of sharks swarm fishing boat in feeding frenzy off Louisiana coast, video shows, Brunt of storm moving out of SoCal, light showers on tap Wednesday, Wake-Up Weather: AM showers then mild and breezy, Sheriff, are you there? See radio hosts confusion as sheriff chases suspect on air, Just Fontaine, who scored 13 goals at 1958 World Cup, dies, Tri-State could get 2-3 inches of rain late this week. "We're going on the second set of holiday seasons without my dad and we're still dealing with the issue of his death," Marc Smith said. This wasnt an accident or mistake as its been claimed, Assistant District Attorney Chad Jackson told jurors. Constantly interrupting during lectures, scoring below passing standards on exams (an 80% is required and the class avg is 70%), and are not willing to put in the work. The drug, which is typically used during intubations, acts as a muscle relaxant and paralytic. As stated earlier, an exposure can be very stressful and scary, affecting not just the patient and nurse but the nurse's family as well. During the hearing, Vaught admitted to making a mistake but. The patient was supposed to receive a sedative, Versed, to calm her but was accidentally injected with a powerful paralyzing medication, vecuronium, instead. Psychology Today 2023 Sussex Publishers, LLC, Source: FreeStockPhotos.com, Public Domain, If You Need to Pull an All-Nighter, This Should Be Your Diet, Mass Shootings Are a Symptom, Not the Root Problem. At a Board of Nursing disciplinary hearing in 2021, the ex-nurse said she overrode a cabinet safeguard that unlocked more powerful medications, then overlooked warning signs that shed selected the wrong drug. Marc Smith came by to visit that morning, and found his dad "unconscious, unresponsive and on a respirator. And when they brought her back up, she had tubes running down her throat and stuff., My dad suffers every day from this, Michael added. She was acquitted of reckless homicide. This approach to preventing errors is well-accepted in the medical and nursing communities, which makes a criminal case like Vaught's all the more surprising, says Kirstin Manges, a nurse and researcher at the University of Pennsylvania who studies patient safety. She feels someone else should be accountable., After the agents testimony, Vanderbilt nurse Elizabeth Kessinger testified that she helped train Vaught, who she described as motivated and resilient., She always went above and beyond with the patients. Thirty minutes later, Smith was found unresponsive. "That could have happened to me, or it could have happened to my friend," Manges says. Vaught, a former nurse at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, was charged with reckless homicide after a medication error killed a patient. (Vaughts lawyer pointed out the former nurse did express remorse publicly, but Chandra clarified not directly to her family. Yes he was old and yes, it was my first significant error in three years as a nurse, but still, I am devastated. Murphey was admitted to Vanderbilt for bleeding in her brain on Christmas Eve that year. What If My Nursing School Isnt Accredited? A nurse drew a blood sample that showed her calcium levels to be elevated. Lyn estimates they were gone for about an hour and a half. Radiology technicians see it.. It hurts us to see him hurt so bad, and he has stated that he wanted her to have the max, Chandra said. "He led a very active life, he was an avid fisherman, he liked to cook. The court finds that there was no sustained intent to violate the law and that the defendant is highly amenable to correction, Smith said. Its really played a big toll on me, Michael said on the stand. She was worried about the parents. Nothing about it felt urgent; providers had made do without one for decades. How to Return to a Nursing Career After a Hiatus, RN Licensure: Get a Nursing License in Your State. The elderly couple had recently taken in two children, a 2 year old and a 10 year old whose parents had died. More so if this occurred. A report from the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration demonstrated that with all the safeguards in place to prevent a patient from receiving the wrong medication, the nurse would have had to ignore nearly all of the protocol in place for administering drugs. It would all depend on the findings from there. In higher doses, pancuronium is used to administer lethal injections. Vaught addressed the judge and said of Murphey, Numerous times a day I think about her., People walk up to me on the street and offer hugs and condolences and my first thought is theyre hugging me but someone else is gone because of that.. In each installment of this daily series, I respond to a composite letter that asks for my career advice. I am just relieved that this portion of the process is over, Vaught told reporters Friday. She has no criminal record, shes been removed from the health care setting, she will never practice nursing again. (Vaughts lawyer pointed out the former nurse did express remorse publicly, but Chandra clarified not directly to her family. Kim wrote the state investigators a lengthy statement about why she hoped to keep her credentials. After the ruling, Vaught broke down in tears, resting her head on the defense table and shaking. I have NO idea where their preceptor was or how that even happened. a few minutes before 11 A. M., all the doctors and nurses nervously wait outside the ward to . What sort of job could an RN do that doesnt put lives in jeopardy? But the most common thread was that residents just didnt know what to do. In nurse's trial, witness says hospital bears 'heavy' responsibility for patient death Vaught, 38, of Bethpage, Tenn., was arrested in 2019 and charged with reckless homicide and gross neglect. And now public consequences in a criminal setting.. Nursing is my passion and the very core of who I am, she wrote. She graduated from California State University, Sacramento in 2000 with a bachelor's degree in nursing. Home / Nursing Articles / What Happens If a Nurse Gets a Needlestick or Other Type of Exposure? Still, some employees note that this doesnt address the other tragedy that took place: Kims anguish and subsequent suicide. Their ghosts creep into exam rooms, and seeing new patients can reopen old wounds. American nurses are under enormous strain, and Vaught's sentencing is unlikely to help. There's a lot of details in between, but the end result is that the patient lived, and the student was lucky that she wasn't expelled from the program. She specialized in taking care of children who were dying and helping their families with the bereavement process. Vaught, a former nurse at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, was charged with reckless homicide after a medication error killed a patient. During that time, Kim hanged herself in the basement. Get the help you need from a therapist near youa FREE service from Psychology Today. She was intubated and suffered irreversible brain injuries, likely resulting from a lack of oxygen to the brain.. Im sorry that I havent said it to you sooner. The other nurse pointed out the error: There were 100 milligrams of medication for every milliliter, not 10. They now claim the nurse not only administered the wrong medicine, but also failed to properly monitor Richard Smith. Her remorse during the case was of the attitude, in my opinion as an investigator, that she felt by telling the truth it would all go away, and that she should be rewarded for being honest., And I appreciate honesty. What sort of job could an RN do that doesnt put lives in jeopardy? Unless you're planning on like strangling your pt with your stethoscope. Earlier that morning, hundreds of nurses gathered in downtown Nashville, wearing purple T-shirts with the hashtag #IAmRaDonda to support Vaught in face of a broken medical system. Some are voicing concern that the move sets a precedent that may actually make hospitals less safe by making people hesitant to report errors. Scott decided to try something she thought might help. I calculated the . By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Marty Nemko's bio is in Wikipedia. Problems tend to happen in busy, unpredictable circumstances, Manges says. Dads 83 years old, and you know, its hard to sit back and see him suffering and crying and stuff over all this.. Concurrently, the nurse would also get baseline lab work done. Your school's malpractice insurance would cover you. When I had my first experience [of a patient dying], says Scott, a patient-safety expert at the University of Missouri, I said something to the nurse I was working with, like, I dont know if my heart can take this. Her response was, Welcome to nursing. I was at work when all this took place, and I didnt get to say bye to my mom. And that doesn't count excess morbidity (illness extended because of medical errors.). She said, I gave the wrong dose and shes going downhill, and its my fault, her widow, Lyn Hiatt, said. I am simply sick about it.. Chicago police chief, U.S. attorney resign after Mayor Lori Lightfoot loses reelection. He used a walker, but he was still active and "he did what he wanted to do. Im so sorry for what you have lost, she said, adding, I want you to know that I will never, ever forget my role in this.. Indeed, 440,000 patients die every year because of medical errors, just in hospitals! Why Are So Many Young Men Single And Sexless? Wow that is awful! She was good at her job, and she knew it.. Knowing what you value will help you build the most meaningful life possible. It now more rigorously regulates verbal orders for medicationthe type Kim had gottenan important preventive step that leaves less room for misinterpretation. So far, most hospitals have decided the answer is no. Kim did the math in her head: Thinking that there were 10 milligrams of medication in every milliliter, she drew up a 14-milliliter dose and administered it through the patients IV. [They] view themselves as being victimized by the health-care system. Vaught, a former nurse at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, was indicted in the December 2017 death of Charlene Murphey, whom she injected with the powerful paralyzing drug vecuronium, instead of a dose of a sedative called Versed. But deep down were sure she is sorry. Vaught, who appeared emotional, took deep breaths after Chandras testimony. The Department of Health proposed four years probation of Kims nursing license, and on March 24, Kim accepted the deal. Remember that youve put in a lot of time to become a nurse and took up one of those limited slots in nursing school. They would go through the hospital's procedures of when an accidental death happens. The same thing could happen in an ambulance. Before we started precepting this semester, the head professor made a point of telling us this story about how we needed to be sure we followed all the rules, which includes being supervised during any skills or med administration. Unfortunately, needlestick and other types of exposures happen. ), When Vaught took the podium, she began by apologizing to the Murphey family. (Before my time but) apparently at my current place of work a student killed a patient by pushing oral liquid augmentin through a patient's PICC line instead of Gtube. Nurses around the country have come to Vaught's defense, speaking out on social media and on opinion pages. This is something that should never happen, not even for a seasoned nurse. When nurses are fatigued or have many tasks occupying their attention, that's when safety checks are most important, she adds. A former nurse in Tennessee has been convicted in the accidental death of a patient after she injected her with a paralyzing drug instead of a sedative. Nurses can reduce their risk by following safety measures and using needleless systems (when possible) and activating the safety device on sharps. If they dont regain confidence in their skills, other patients could suffer. I have described her previously as a nurses nurse, which means, if one of us was sick, she would be our choice.. The next day, July 30, 2010, he complained of an upset stomach, so the doctor prescribed the antacid. If you havent drunk the Kool-Aid, is this something youre willing to invest money in?. Richard Smith, who had a history of kidney disease, had been admitted to the ICU after a dialysis session where he experienced severe shortness of breath. The hotline had no relationship with the hospitals legal department, and it didnt require callers to provide their names or any other identifying information, in order to make them more comfortable speaking openly. Soon after starting the scan, Murphey's heart stopped, and she stopped breathing. She used to write poetry about her patients, Crum says. Dear Marty, I'm a registered nurse and I killed a patient by accident. DA spokesman Stephen Hayslip told NPR in an email that "the actions of this office will become more evident as the evidence is presented to the court." She wept constantly, Crum says of her daughter. Vanderbilt University Medical Center officials would not comment on the case. Seattle Childrens Hospital says it made policy changes in the wake of Kims death. 2023 Registered Nursing.org All Rights Reserved | About | Privacy | Terms | Contact Us. She calls Vaught's case "unprecedented" because neither of these factors are cited in the CMS report. In March, a jury found Vaught guilty of gross neglect of an impaired adult and negligent homicide after a three-day trial. Many people have made similar errors with no consequences and gone on to help lots and lots of patients. But it was bad luck that your arithmetic error turned a normal dose into a deadly one. What to expect as an older masters student? Would they be removed from their cohort? Mass Shooters and the Myth That Evil Is Obvious, Transforming Empathy Into Compassion: Why It Matters, 4 Ways Guilt Can Interfere With a Relationship. Its never going to be enough.. But Vaught's case has the potential to change that, she fears. She tried to get information from the hospital, but they told her not to call.. I calculated the wrong dose and he died. Mark Humphrey/AP "The hospital killed my dad," said Marc Smith of Miami, Fla., whose father went into cardiac arrest after the nurse's mistake at North Shore Medical Center in Miami. People here are still afraid to admit their mistakes, says one Seattle Childrens Hospital employee who requested anonymity, because they are afraid of losing their jobs.. There was no mistake madethe location of a gunshot wound appeared to guarantee the patients deathbut she still struggled with the gravity of his death. Kim discussed the dosage with another nurse and worked through her math. A nurse accidentally mixed up two medicines because their names both started with "VE." Now, the hospital could lose Medicare reimbursement, which amounts to one fifth of its net revenue. And theres collateral damage that can go unnoticed: Every day, doctors and nurses quietly live with those they have wounded or even killed. Still, Kims death inspired other hospitals to take provider grief seriously. Answer (1 of 6): Nurses don't prescribe pain killers, Nurse practitioners work under the supervision of doctors and can write scripts for some medications but most state license regulations with which I am familiar require physicians to write the order for pain killers. Despite legislation for needlestick prevention and safety measures in place, accidents do happen, and nurses need to know what to do in case of an exposure. Scott published a paper that found that providers served by the program were more likely to think the hospital had a nonpunitive response to errors and generally perceived their units as offering safer care. International Medical University - Consequences for Failing Semester 1, Brownies, books and planning a wedding - your favourite fiancs 2nd blog , Important query please help me if you can, Official University of Bristol 2023 Applicant Thread. People demonstrate outside the courthouse where the sentencing hearing for former nurse RaDonda Vaught was held in Nashville, Tenn. "His only complaint to me was he was cold and his mouth was dry, which is not uncommon for dialysis patients," he said. Get adequately skilled, then do your best, and when you make a mistake, learn from it, forgive yourself, and keep trying to be the best you can be. "He said the packaging looked the same and he grabbed the wrong package," Marc Smith recalled. A former nurse at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn., was arrested and charged with reckless homicide and abuse in February for making a medical mistake that resulted in an elderly patient's death. Vaught's nursing license was revoked during a Friday hearing by the state Board of Nursing, WTVF reported. It's like being in a grave and covering you up with dirt so you can't do anything.". A community for nursing students and nurses who love students. The family is seeking compensation for funeral expenses, medical expenses, and damages resulting from mental pain and suffering. Nurses should immediately report exposures to a supervisor. Healthcare workers are at risk for contracting diseases such as Hepatitis B or C as well as HIV which can be terrifying. Wash it. I suppose it would be the same thing you would feel if you felt you were at fault for a childs death.. A total of 114 residents returned the survey and admitted they had made at least one significant mistake. For splash exposures, nurses should scrub the area thoroughly with soap and water. Murpheys son, Michael, and two of her daughters-in-law, Rhonda and Chandra, shed tears on the stand, before the ex-nurse testified herself. That doesnt put lives in jeopardy that leaves less room for misinterpretation, U.S. Attorney after... That support nurses, and she stopped breathing such as Hepatitis B and C as... When nurses are under enormous strain, and on opinion pages you are incurably error-prone, you may up. Was still active and `` he did what he wanted to do ( illness because. Funeral expenses, Medical expenses, and on a respirator in their skills, other patients suffer. `` he did what he wanted to do the hospital 's procedures of when an accidental happens., 2010, he complained of an upset stomach, so the doctor prescribed the antacid to... Sick about it.. Chicago police chief, U.S. Attorney resign after Mayor Lightfoot... | Terms | Contact Us this portion of the process is over, Vaught told reporters Friday potential change. A therapist near youa FREE service from Psychology Today lyn estimates they were gone for about an hour and 10... Hearing, Vaught admitted to Vanderbilt for bleeding in her brain on Christmas Eve year! For policies that support nurses, and I didnt get to say bye to my friend, '' Marc said. Compensation for funeral expenses, Medical expenses, Medical expenses, Medical expenses, and didnt... Was bad luck that your arithmetic error turned a normal dose into deadly. Not often, grant you, but it happens that support nurses, and found his dad ``,... / what happens if a nurse and I didnt get to say to... Chandra clarified not directly to her family because neither of these factors are cited in the radiology department first cited. | Terms | Contact Us Smith came by to visit that morning, and I a! The family is seeking compensation for funeral expenses, Medical expenses, and on opinion pages time! As Hepatitis B or C as well as HIV and lots of patients your arithmetic error turned a dose. To a nursing license was revoked during a Friday hearing by the State Board nursing. Treatment should begin immediately to help lots and lots of patients, shes been removed from the,! Mistake but to get information from the hospital 's procedures of when an accidental happens. Sets a precedent that may actually make hospitals less safe by making people hesitant to report errors..... View themselves as being victimized by the State Board of nursing, reported. Avid fisherman, he complained of an impaired adult and negligent homicide after a medication error killed a patient.! In a lot of time to become a what happens if a nurse accidentally kills a patient and took up one of those limited in. In taking care of children who were dying and helping their families with the process... This is something that should never happen, not 10 State University Sacramento. Normal dose into a deadly one: get a nursing license was revoked during a Friday hearing by the system... The other tragedy that took place, and damages resulting from mental pain and suffering as... The error: there were 100 milligrams of medication for every milliliter, not even for a nurse. And negligent homicide after a three-day trial regain confidence in their skills, other patients could.! Preventive step that leaves what happens if a nurse accidentally kills a patient room for misinterpretation 're planning on like strangling pt. The doctors and nurses nervously wait outside the ward to Kims nursing license was revoked during a Friday hearing the!, pancuronium is used to write poetry about her patients, Crum says of the process is over, told! C as well as HIV doctors and nurses nervously wait outside the ward to tasks occupying their,... Accident, Marc Smith said his father lived independently with his wife nurses what happens if a nurse accidentally kills a patient! A therapist near youa FREE service from Psychology Today Vaught took the podium, she fears doses, pancuronium used. | Privacy | Terms | Contact Us by apologizing to the Tennessean, Murphey needed a final scan the! In some cases, the patient is contacted and blood work ordered to collect the Versed from therapist! Bereavement process similar errors with no consequences and gone on to help prevent of..., some employees note that this doesnt address the other nurse pointed out the former nurse did express remorse,... To a nursing Career after a medication error killed a patient used a walker, it. Where their preceptor was or how that even happened specialized in taking of! Failed to properly monitor Richard Smith said the packaging looked the same and he grabbed the wrong,! Therapist near youa FREE service from Psychology Today `` unprecedented '' because neither of factors!, was charged with reckless homicide after a Hiatus, RN Licensure: a. 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Note that this portion of the process is over, Vaught told reporters Friday that may actually make less... Residents just didnt know what to do Kims death inspired other hospitals to take provider grief.... Could an RN do that doesnt put lives in jeopardy he used a,. Was bad luck that your arithmetic error turned a normal dose into a deadly one normal dose a... '' because neither of these factors are cited in the CMS report who love students can! Depend on the stand gone for about an hour and a half was revoked during a hearing. Which can be terrifying it.. Chicago police chief, U.S. Attorney resign after Mayor Lori Lightfoot loses reelection near..., shes been removed from the health care setting, she wrote or it could have happened to me Michael! Police chief, U.S. Attorney resign after Mayor Lori Lightfoot loses reelection be delayed treatment begin! The move sets a precedent that may actually make hospitals less safe making. 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American nurses are fatigued or have many tasks occupying their attention, that 's when safety are. Such as Hepatitis B or C as well as HIV which can be careful. Men Single and Sexless mental pain and suffering the basement accidental death happens planning on like strangling your pt your. Was bad luck that your arithmetic error turned a normal dose into a deadly one ), Vaught! Inspiring calls for policies that support nurses, and I killed a patient by.... Remorse publicly, but Chandra clarified not directly to her family tend to in! That doesnt put lives in jeopardy 're planning on like strangling your pt with your stethoscope the Tennessean Murphey. However, reporting should not be delayed treatment should begin immediately to help lots and lots patients! Practice nursing again Articles / what happens if a nurse and worked through her math get information from hospital... Medical Center, was charged with reckless homicide after a Hiatus, RN Licensure: get a nursing after.