As California Nurses Strike, Claims Of Medical Error Surface In Patients Death
Woman Died Due To Medical Error
Oakland authorities are investigating a patients death at an area hospital after a replacement nurse allegedly committed “medical error” which may have lead to the death.
Judith Ming, a 66-year-old woman, died after receiving care from a temporary replacement nurse. Oakland police say that the nurse at Alta Bates Summit Medical Center gave Ming a "non-prescribed dosage of a medication." A cancer patient, Ming died only a few hours after investigators the replacement nurse administered the drugs.
Thousands of nurses across California went on strike for one day Thursday. The hospital where Ming died temporarily hired 500 replacement nurses.
The hospital's chief medical officer, Dr. Steve O'Brien, said that Ming's death was the absolute worst case scenario and a unspeakable tragedy, but that the policy of hiring and using replacement nurses was not clearly the reason for Ming's death. It is not yet known if Ming's family will file a wrongful death or medical malpractice lawsuit.
A California medical malpractice attorney stated that having replacement or temporary nurses staffing hospitals can increase the risk of medical errors that could ultimately harm patients.
The California Department of Public Health requires all California to inform the state within 24 hours of what are called "never events,” which are 28 medical errors deemed inexcusable. The health department must then immediately launch an investigation, and if wrongdoing is determined, the hospital can be fined. Since the law passed in 2007, $4.6 million in fines have been levied against hospitals for incidents resulting in injury or death to patients.
Contributing writer Emery Brett Ledger is a nationally recognized Personal Injury Attorney.
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