The boy who didn't have to die.

pebbles, BSN, RN · Jun 17, 2002

A terrible tragedy - regardless of "blame"....

BUT - an inflammatory, one-sided article. Poor journalism, but it will reach a maximum public audience.

I don't know about confidentiality laws in the states. We had a story done here about the inadequacy and insensitivity of "the system" towards a patient and family - but according to our Personal Health Information Act, the health care professionals or hospital involved is not legally allowed to tell their side of the story. Or to elaborate on any issues that may have complicated the matter.

I also think this article did both us health care professionals AND our patients - present and future - a disservice by focussing on "blame" type journalism. The fact is that nursing is as specialised as medicine... pointing that out is an important aspect of educating and protecting the public. Maybe there were other *system* failures and inadequacies that contibuted to why this boy was not diagnosed sooner....but those never got a mention or even a hypothetical exploration. Another opportunity lost, just so the lawyers and jouranlists can wag their fingers at the bad, incompetent nurses and doctors. *sigh*

fairyprincess2003 · Jun 17, 2002

Oh and I wanted to add

The reason I am pointing out the thruth about what a D.O. is, bc no health care profession should be belittled or made less by the public, or any tragedy. Just like I hate it when nurses are referred to as Dr's assistants, or that xyz degree is not real nursing.

But this is a tragedy none the less:(

MQ Edna · Jun 17, 2002

Yes, this is a great tragedy, but I strongly agree that the article, as written, is completely unobjective and unfair. The child unfortunately died, and if he died wrongfully, it shouldn't matter if he was all the great and wonderful things described about him, or if he was the most obnoxious creature who ever walked the earth. And no healthcare professional deserves to be tried, convicted and burned at the stake by a media report such as this one. As Jolie said, I may pray for the family, but some of my most fervent prayers must go to the healthcare professionals, be it nurses, doctors (D.O., resident or otherwise), or other medical colleagues. Whether right or wrong, whether fairly or otherwise, they will have to live with this for the rest of their lives. If any of the professionals involved in this tragedy, or in any similar tragedy, subscribe to this forum, please respond so that your colleagues can offer you support. I truly believe that no professional sets out to kill a patient, and no nurse should have to endure this hell alone. JeannieM :stone

fedupnurse · Jun 17, 2002

I second what Oramar said about there being so few left at the bedside who are experienced enough to pick up complications. I had the reverse of this story. I had a 25 year old bleeding out after leg surgery and I couldn't get a doctor to come in to take her to the OR and fix the obvious bleeding vessel in her leg. The ortho who did the surgey wasn't on call. His idiot partner kept telling the family "this is normal, fasciotomies always bleed this much." I told them he was full of it, I have never seen one bleed like this. Myself and a medical resident then called Trauma Surgery and the director was on. He said "I've never done a fasciotomy so what would I know to look for. Besides why are you making this my problem." I called the chief of surgery, the attending ortho who didn't call beack despite 8 phone calls in about an hour, another ortho group who flatly refused to come in, 2 vascular groups who also refused to have anything to do with saving this young woman's life. Finally, I told the parents as I handed them the phone at the nurses station "you have seen me playing phone tag with these doctors since I came thru the door 3 hours ago. Your daughter is going to die if she isn't brought to the OR now. I need you to speak to the service and tell them that if there isn't a surgeon here in 10 minutes you will be suing and will also be taking her to another area hospital STAT so she can have the surgery she needs to save her life. The mom got on the phone with the service and said what I just typed and the woman at the service put her thru to the off duty surgeon at home. He came in and took her to the OR. She didn't bleed again, NOT ONE DROP, all night. I also told the family after she was safely back from the OR that if they were going to pursue this legally, I'd be happy to appear for them and to not accept anything that had a gag order attached to it.

The nurses and residents in this case clearly screwed up, big time. We also have a rule that an attending must see their patients at least every 24 hours. I feel the attending also bears some responsibility as well.

It is a sad and tragic case but what is even sadder is I can see this happening very easily. I have a couple of new colleagues who just don't want to be bothered with patient complaints. I keep telling them we are here to address their complaints not just to sit down and chat all night and collect a paycheck. I don't know about some of the new blood coming into this profession...

Brownms46 · Jun 17, 2002

WOW...that is a very scary story.. :eek:

Huganurse · Jun 17, 2002

fairyprincess2003 · Jun 19, 2002

Hi again

Well I just wanted to say I just felt the article was one sided, and the basic facts were not even right. But that does not inexcuse tradgedies??sp??

We are in the medical field and nothing is perfect, so there are bound to be imperfect cases.

But, I do feel patients are often neglected and not taken seriously especially in the ER. I do want to note though, it is USUALLY the NURSES who insist on patient care, and go out of their way when something is just not right.

I just wanted to point out the flaws bc just like the person was calling a DO(well they didn't know what to make of them) they automatically blame nurses.

Whenever I have been to an ER, I have been screened by PCA's first. Nothing against aides(I was once an aide too) But a lot of aides do not have the education or problem solving knowledge like a nurse would. Like in my personal case, I had a concussion, this was last year I was 21 years old(from my college cheering team the entire stunt came crashing on my head) After being rushed to the ER, and after waiting and being screened by aides, I was put into a room awaiting a Dr. Well this women was really rude and unprofessional. She was like ok chick get up and walk into room 3. I was out of it so I just stumbled up and went. But come on, here is a 21 year old who could have brain damage. I glanced at her name tage and it said PCA! I have never been treated in such a way by a nurse.

The bottom line is dont always blame the nurse, when you don't even have the facts straight. nurses are often the scape goat when they are often the only ones applying their knowledge to their profession.

Thanks and best wishes

kids · Jun 19, 2002

some things stand out as big red flags for me and i have not worked acute care since finishing school 12 1/2 years ago...

(copied and pasted from the article and assuming the items atributed to the medical record are quoted accurarely)

a) at 6:26 p.m., helen's insistence is such that a nurse writes in lewis' record: "parent requesting upper level m.d."

... at 8 p.m. sunday, the chief resident, dr. craig murray, comes to lewis' room..... murray also writes that lewis' heart rate is in the 80s, slightly above normal but no cause for alarm....however, at the same time, a nurse notes in the record that lewis' heart is beating 126 times a minute.

b) from 8:30 to about 10:15 a.m., lewis' record reflects, others try and fail to detect a blood pressure.they try various devices, according to lewis' medical record.....nurses' notes say, "unable to obtain b.p. (blood pressure). '.'.'. b.p. attempts on arms and legs unsuccessful."

c) eleven months after lewis died, and without a lawsuit being filed, musc's insurer paid lewis' estate $950,000. that's almost the $1.2 million maximum a state-operated hospital can pay under s.c. law that limits payouts.

d) nurses and residents now must call a full-fledged doctor if a family or patient requests it. patients also will be given manuals explaining their rights. (i thought this was a federal requirement) the manual will have a phone number of the lead doctor on their case.

e) joe good, musc's general counsel, said he personally was shaken by lewis' case...."our system broke down," said good. "it shook this place to the core. and, god knows, i hope we never see that again. '.'.'. this is the most tragic case i can recall in my 16 years here. '.'.'. we've got to do better