As a nurse of 12 years, I am crushed by the Radonda Vaught verdict. She was thrown under the bus by the healthcare system she worked for. They never even reported the fact that the patient lost their life due to a medical error to the family or to the state, even though she did the right thing and reported the error immediately. When the state came to them with the accusation of the unreported “sentinel” event they hung her out to dry and Vanderbilt walked away unscathed. Does she deserve consequences? Yes, she does. Is she guilty of negligent homicide? No. Just culture is a very real concept that should be used in all healthcare settings so that system failures as well as individual provider failures can be evaluated to avoid the same errors in the future.
Every person who has been helped by a nurse, knows a nurse or who is a nurse, should be outraged right now. They are taking away every reason healthcare providers have to honestly report errors. Errors' that happen thousands of time a day across this country. Errors that can be avoided if there are system fail safe's in place, safe staffing and a just culture. Vanderbilt had none of those in place. A nurse should NEVER be able to over-ride a paralytic agent from a medication dispenser, period. Nurses are now housekeepers, EKG tech's, lab tech's, social workers and dietary workers and pharmacy tech's. We have to now do the jobs that were once done by a large group of support staff all while taking care of twice the patient load that we should be most days. We put our lives on the line physically and mentally when we walk in to work each and every day. What happened to this patient is a terrible tragedy and she did not deserve to die this way. What is happening to the people that you count on to care for your on your worst days is also a tragedy. What happens when the nurses are all gone? Who will work relentlessly to resuscitate the 17 year old boy who overdosed on heroin? Who is going to catch his mother in a chair before she collapses on the ground and hold her hand while she weeps over his body? Who is going to bathe and wrap his body after she goes home?
I am asking for your help to find a way to out these healthcare systems that have enjoyed billions of dollars in profits, while patients and staff pay the ultimate price.
Is there a way we can out these facilities legally without being charged with slander? I would like to ask nurses everywhere to post a picture of their work ID with any identifying information blacked out, but still showing the name of any facility or system that has unsafe working conditions that has and will continue to result in harm to patients and staff. Is there a way this can anonymously be done? Any ideas or suggestions are so appreciated. Thank you for listening.