radonda vaught what happened

It really helped to hear more of the case details to understand the unfortunate results. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Had to read instructions on vial but ignored where it said the name of the med, 7. After receiving the med, the patient would not be able to move, notify anyone, or breathe on her own. I realized I wrote it incorrectly in the blog post as well, and that has been updated. Aleece Ellison traveled from Texas to join them. The patient suffered an anoxic brain injury. In weighing whether to grant Vaught judicial diversion, Smith cited Vaught's remorse as well as her honesty about the medication error. This is for the protection of the entire team and the individual themselves. Vanderbilt executives speak about the error in a meeting of the TN Board of Licensing Healthcare Facilities. These are all reasonable safety measures and ultimately the cornerstone of your professional practice. ", Janie Reed, who drove over from Memphis, said she became a nurse practitioner several years ago because "bedside was getting dangerous. However, I feel a professional and ethical obligation, to be honest about that. Vaught, a . The board appears sympathetic, but do not overlook the errors. You can read that report, The Tennessee Department of Health, who is responsible for licensing and investigating med professionals, decides not to pursue disciplinary action against her. WHO REPORTS COVID CASES DOWN EVERYWHERE BUT AFRICA, AMERICAS. "The immutable fact of this case is that Charlene Murphey is dead because RaDonda Vaught could not bother to pay attention to what she was doing," Jackson said. Mom was a very forgiving person," Michael Murphey told the court. Charlene Murphey, 75, was a patient admitted to . Thanks so much for the diligent work you did on this podcast! Unsubscribe at any time. An emergency room nurse for 14 years, she said she broke down crying when Vaught was found guilty. Back on March 25, Ms. Vaught was found guilty of criminally negligent homicide stemming from the death of a patient at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in 2017. ", "Statement in Response to the Conviction of Nurse RaDonda Vaught", "Criminal Conviction of Nurse for Fatal Medication Error Diminishes Patient Safety", Institute for Space and Defense Electronics, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=RaDonda_Vaught_homicide_case&oldid=1154467568, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 4.0, This page was last edited on 12 May 2023, at 18:07. The relief came after the health care workers spent hours in the sun and clung to every word of the judge's lengthy sentencing explanation, some linked in a chain with hands locked. It should be noted as a conflict of interest that Glenn Funk, DA is also a professor of law at Vanderbilt University. When asked about the DAs office in 2022, Vaught stated, It has taken three of them, and a bunch of lies, to do their job and thats a reflection of them and not me, and doesnt think the DAs office has painted her in an accurate light. "This ruling will have a long-lasting negative impact on the profession.". Be unapologetic about unsafe practices, even if they are normal, and navigate them in a tactful and professional manner. "She did not deserve that.". That's just Mom. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Medical errors are generally handled by professional licensing boards or civil courts, and criminal prosecutions like Vaught's case are exceedingly rare. [5][6], Concerns have also been raised that Vaught's prosecution would cause some nurses to leave the field and some prospective nurses not to enter it in the first place at a time when there is already a nursing shortage. Your email address will not be published. 1. On January 3, 2018, RaDonda is fired from the hospital. Vaught was sentenced Friday to serve three years probation for her involvement in the death of a Nashville woman five years ago. The point is that it was not his decision to make to hasten their deaths. Be purposeful with your attention. In the meantime, check out one of her websites here. The jury found Vaught, a former nurse, guilty of criminally negligent homicide and gross neglect of an impaired adult in the death of a patient to whom she accidentally gave the wrong medication. Be diligent as you give meds, especially in high-risk situations. If a policy change sounded good on paper but isnt translating in the unit into something thats safe, its our professional obligation to communicate that to leadership. After Vaught was found guilty in March, health care workers began posting to social media that they were leaving bedside nursing for administrative positions, or even quitting the profession altogether. Had to look directly at the red cap that says PARALYZING AGENT when drawing it up, 9. And in the absence of diligence, the opportunity for harm is profound. RaDonda Vaught, a former Nashville nurse, was found guilty of criminally negligent homicide on March 25 in the death of a patient on December 27, 2017, at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Health care delivery is highly complex. Learn how these funds will address the nursing shortage in Central Illinois. At the time of the error, her condition was improving, and she was being prepared for discharge from the hospital, according to courtroom testimony and a federal investigation report. The content is horribly flawed. For example, the first prosecutors in the Jussie Smollet and Ahmayd Arbery cases both decided not to pursue charges, even though later down the line charges were filed and they both secured convictions. Christmas being the day before could have made her feel distracted, but not on board with that explaining the repeated skipped safety checks. We still have her Christmas presents in our attic wrapped. Another nurses fatal med error who faced criminal charges, Vaughts 2020 Attempt to Purchase Firearms, My Thoughts on the RaDonda Vaught Trial as a Nurse, https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6483588-Vaught-RaDonda-NOC-9-27-19.html, https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6785652-RaDonda-Vaught-DA-Discovery.html, https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6535181-Vanderbilt-Corrective-Plan.html, https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6785898-RaDonda-Vaught-Letters.html, https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6542003-CMS-Complaint-Intake.html, https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2022/03/25/1088902487/former-nurse-found-guilty-in-accidental-injection-death-of-75-year-old-patient, https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/03/25/radonda-vaught-verdict-vanderbilt-nurse-guilty/7169480001/, https://www.nursingworld.org/news/news-releases/2022-news-releases/statement-in-response-to-the-conviction-of-nurse-radonda-vaught/, https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/health/2020/03/03/vanderbilt-nurse-radonda-vaught-arrested-reckless-homicide-vecuronium-error/4826562002/, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EbfOWLMkQw, RaDonda was working in the Neuro ICU and Neuro Step Down units at Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville, TN which is an acute care hospital with over 1,000 beds, She had been a nurse for approximately two years at this time, The patient was hospitalized for a subdural hematoma. I know that nurses want to have each others backs, and any one of us can make an error at any time, but this is egregious. Nurses are going to go to jail, and more people are going to die because they wont report their errors.". cheers Glenn. We still have her Christmas presents in our attic wrapped.". She was and there was plenty of evidence to demonstrate that she was guilty of committing those acts. Additionally, Davidson County Chief Medical Examiner Feng Li testified that although he determined Murphey died from vecuronium, he couldn't verify how much of the drug she actually received. 5 Min Read. [1] She was sentenced to three years' probation. He goes out there and cries. He goes out there and cries. A statement by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) described the conviction as a dangerous precedent that ignores decades of safety research.2 The American Nurses Association released a statement that noted, We are deeply distressed by this verdict and the harmful ramifications of criminalizing the honest reporting of mistakes.3 The American Organization for Nursing Leadership asserted criminal prosecutions for unintentional acts are the wrong approach, adding nurses should be encouraged to report errors so that prevention strategies can be identified and Linda Harrington, PhD, DNP, RN-BC, CNS, CPHQ, CENP, FHIMSS, FAMIA, Linda Harrington is an Independent Consultant, Health Informatics and Digital Strategy, and Adjunct Professor at Texas Christian University, 2800 South University Drive, Fort Worth, TX 76109 (. There is no doubt that Vaught made a grave error when she gave her patient an injection of vecuronium, a muscle relaxant that left the 75-year-old woman unable to breathe, instead of Versed, a sedative. Per the investigative report (where she was interviewed without legal representation): She states she was comfortable in her help all nurse role, She was familiar with the med dispensing machine, She was not overtired; she worked the day prior, She had an orientee with her, but was comfortable with him being with her. Nurses will be the scapegoats for overall failures to create a culture of safety. An emergency room nurse for 14 years, she said she broke down crying when Vaught was found guilty. On July 23, 2021, her nursing license is revoked. 1. Staffing shortages in the department If her actions were criminal, were they not culpable in covering it up? Aleece Ellison traveled from Texas to join them. So, the nurse who made a grave error is convicted of a crime and faced serving time in prison while a physician who knowingly committed acts that hastened the deaths of multiple patients was acquitted? (Stephanie Amador/The Tennessean via AP, Pool). Although Vaught isnt being sent to prison, her conviction and sentencing, meted out for the kind of error that routinely occurs in health care institutions across the U.S., are a true travesty of justice. People demonstrate outside the courthouse where the sentencing hearing for former nurse RaDonda Vaught is being held Friday, May 13, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. Demonstrators sit outside the courthouse where the sentencing hearing for former nurse RaDonda Vaught is being held Friday, May 13, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. A state judge imposed the sentence on RaDonda Vaught after she apologized to relatives of the victim, Charlene Murphey, and said she'll be forever haunted by her mistake. In Feb 2019, the case becomes public when she is arrested on a criminal indictment for her alleged role in the death. There are a lot of details of this case that have not made headlines, and because of that, I wanted to do a deep dive into what actually happened, an explanation of the trial, and what I think this means for our profession. Youre not a task-master, youre a professional nurse who has a duty to critically think through situations. She appealed, but was denied once again. Body parts strewn across city in Mexico along with cartel messages. [9][3], A Tennessee Bureau of Investigation agent testified that the medical center had a "heavy burden of responsibility" for the deadly medication error, but that the Bureau of Investigation only pursued criminal charges and penalties against the nurse, not the hospital. "I don't mean to be facetious," Strianse said of the medical examiner's testimony, "but it sort of sounded like some amateur CSI episode only without the science. RaDonda Vaught case: a double standard for nurses, physicians - STAT Like. [8], On December 24, 2017, 75-year-old Charlene Murphey was admitted to the hospital for a subdural hematoma. "I was at work when all this took place, so I didn't get to say bye to my mom. For many years in a row nursing has appeared at the top of the list of most-trusted professions. But, if you can save that laser-focus for during care for when youre completing these higher-risk tasks, that will increase accuracy without creating additional mental fatigue. Dont answer your ringing phone while giving meds tell the patient to hold on while youre programming a pump or reviewing their meds in their chart . [8][11], Vaught immediately admitted the error and was fired from the hospital after an internal investigation in January 2018. Only nurse jokes, advice, encouragement, and content updates. Advertisement. What happened in the RaDonda Vaught case Jurors deliberated for about four hours before convicting Vaught of reckless homicide and impaired adult abuse. It doesnt matter if Husels argument was that he was relieving their suffering which we dont know as he didnt testify. The crowd outside listened to the hearing through loudspeakers and cheered when some of the victim's relatives said they wouldn't want jail time for Vaught. (Stephanie Amador/The Tennessean via AP, Pool). Whether youre looking to get your pre-licensure degree or taking the next step in your career, the Be protective of your mental space when youre completing important tasks. Thanks for your comments; appreciate your thoughts and input. Chandra Murphey wipes her tears while giving her testimony about her mother in law, Charlene Murphey, during the trial of RaDonda Vaught, at Justice A.A. Birch Building in Nashville, Tenn., Tuesday, March 22, 2022. Im afraid that if acf like this is no worse than any error that could be made, were doing our own profession a disservice, and scaring potential nurses away. [9], After Murphey's death, the hospital did not report the error to federal or state regulators (as required by law) and reported to the county medical examiner that Murphey died of natural causes with no mention of the vecuronium. Then, she clicked the override function to obtain access to all medications in the cabinet. "Knowing my mom, the way my mom was and stuff, she wouldn't want to see her serve no jail time. RaDonda Vaught, a former Vanderbilt University Medical Center nurse charged with in the death of a patient, listens to the opening statements during her trial at Justice A.A. Birch Building in Nashville, Tenn., Tuesday, March 22, 2022. This is a paralytic, often used during emergencies and only when a patient has a breathing tube/ETT, as paralytics make it so the patient cannot breathe. Update: RaDonda Vaught Sentenced to 3 Years Supervised Probation RaDonda Vaught will likely serve no prison time. Charlene Murpheys husband, however, did want her to serve a prison sentence, relatives testified. She was removed from life support with family by her side, and passed around 1:00 am the following morning, December 27. The CEO admits it wasnt reported to regulators and their responses was too limited. The form she filled out asks about criminal charges, and she checked the box stating she was not indicted for any charges that could result in more than a year of jail time. Clearly, this is very subjective. I needed to read this. During her testimony, she took responsibility for the error, but also described procedural issues at the hospital. The RaDonda Vaught homicide case was an American legal trial in which former Vanderbilt University Medical Center nurse RaDonda Vaught was convicted of criminally negligent homicide and impaired adult abuse after she mistakenly administered the wrong medication that killed a patient in 2017. "We used to always get together for family dinners," she said. "[2], The American Nurses Association stated:[16][1]. Chandra and Michael Murphey, family of Charlene Murphey, listen as Judge Jennifer Smith delivers a sentence in the case of RaDonda Vaught, Friday, May 13, 2022, in Nashville, Tennessee. "We used to always get together for family dinners," she said. Explore how this development can impact patients and clinicians. ", Vaught did not testify. [5] The "just culture" philosophy has been adopted by hospitals since a 1999 study by the National Academy of Medicine found that 98,000 people may have been dying due to medical errors annually. (Stephanie Amador/The Tennessean via AP, Pool). In March 2022, a jury found former Tennessee nurse RaDonda Vaught guilty of criminally negligent homicide and gross neglect of an impaired adult after injecting a patient with the wrong medication, bypassing several safeguards and system warnings. Janie Harvey Garner, the founder of Show Me Your Stethoscope, a nursing group on Facebook with more than 600,000 members, worries the conviction will have a chilling effect on nurses disclosing their own errors or near errors, which could have a detrimental effect on the quality of patient care. RaDonda immediately admitted what happened, and has never denied accountability. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. This means its up to the District Attorney to decide when and if to file charges against people. She knew the PET scan staff could not administer the med or monitor after, 10. Speaking at the Friday hearing, Michael Murphey spoke of the toll his mother's death has had on the family. This is professional accountability and ownership, and that is part of our Code of Ethics as nurses. His wife, Chandra Murphey, also testified Friday about the way things were before her mother-in-law died. When you read the anonymous CMS complaint, it reads as an experienced health care professional with intimate knowledge of the situation wrote it. Perfectly said! They brought her back up to the neuro ICU. Biden promised a war on cancer but declared, Biden promised a war on cancer but declared war on the cure instead. The neglect charge stemmed from allegations that Vaught did not properly monitor Murphey after she was injected with the wrong drug. "This could be me." "My dad suffers every day from this. Assistant District Attorney Chad Jackson likened Vaught to a drunk driver who killed a bystander but said the nurse was "worse" because it was as if she were "driving with [her] eyes closed.". Even if she gave Versed correctly, she gave 1 mg IV to the patient and left her alone on a stretcher with zero monitoring for 30 minutes? "[8] [12], The Institute for Safe Medication Practices called the board decision "disturbing and unjust." 7. supporting a new staff member without being a trainer Vaught is scheduled to be sentenced May 13, and her sentences are likely to run concurrently, said the district attorney's spokesperson, Steve Hayslip. The crowd outside listened to the sentencing through loudspeakers at the Nashville courthouse, and cheered when some of the victim's relatives said they wouldn't want jail time for Vaught. The case has been highly controversial. No one will do that for us. Surfers face "chaotic" waves and storm surge in hurricane season, Extremely overdue book returned to Massachusetts library 119 years later, Dutch prime minister resigns after coalition divided over migration collapses, Six people killed in small plane crash in California, Zelenskyy visits Snake Island to mark war milestone; Russian strikes continue, Bear attacks, seriously injures 21-year-old woman in Canada, Newark ship fire expected to burn for several more days, Newsom won't appeal parole of Charles Manson follower Leslie Van Houten, Thousands of children's bikes recalled over handlebar issue. [12], After being delayed for more than a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Vaught's trial began on March 21, 2022. Vaught was tasked to retrieve Versed from a computerized medication cabinet but instead grabbed a powerful paralyzer, vecuronium.

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