An Ohio man whose wife died in a car accident earlier this year is suing the hospital where she was a nurse, claiming she was "worked to death," and that the hospital knew about it.
Jim Jasper's wife, Beth, was killed on March 16 while driving home after a 12-hour shift.
The wrongful death lawsuit, filed last week, alleges that from 2011 to the time of her death, Beth Jasper's unit at the Jewish Hospital in Cincinnati was "regularly understaffed," causing some nurses, including Jasper, to work through breaks and pick up additional shifts.
Additionally, Jasper was routinely called into work while off duty because she was one of the few nurses qualified to work the unit's dialysis machines, according to the suit...
Reporter: In a statement, the hospital would only say. Our hearts go out to the family. We do not comment on pending litigation.
A nationwide shortage of nurses has created a dangerous situation. According to the ANA, one in ten nurses say they were involved in an exhaustion-related car accident. They're going to have to show that it would be reasonably foreseeable that the actions of the employer, would lead to the death of the employee.
Full Story and Video: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/ohio-husband-sues-hospital-working-wife-death-20886095
additional coverage:
http://abcnews.go.com/US/video/lawsuit-claims-nurse-worked-death-20878382
http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/12/health/ohio-nurse-worked-to-death-lawsuit-says/
Nurses, what do you think about this story? Reply with your opinions. Have you been involved in an exhaustion-related car accident?