Another Nurse Accused of Homicide for a Mistake!

[Wishiwasretired]

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LEWIS CENTER, Ohio — A Columbus nurse charged with reckless homicide in connection to a patient's death in Delaware County was let go on her own recognizance on Friday.

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The lawsuit, which was filed in December 2021, says an investigation revealed the last person to enter Mowery's room was a licensed practical nurse, later identified as Aminata Fofana.

Fofana allegedly went into Mowery's room, disconnected and removed his mask because it was soiled. However, she left the room and did not re-apply a new tracheostomy mask, according to the lawsuit.

A grand jury indicted Fafano on...

Read in entirety: Former nurse indicted on charges in connection to man's death at Lewis Center nursing home

[iNurs5, CNA]

29 minutes ago, canoehead said:

She removed his O2 I assume, not just humidity?

I wouldnt remove it unless I had a replacement in hand. But I can 100% see leaving the room and being asked to do something else and totally forgetting to go back. Thats why you keep the dirty gross one on unless the replacement is right there.

I worked in vent and trach.  I'm still trying to wrap around my head how they didn't detect changes in his oxygen level, pressure changes, etc. The pulse oximetry was noisy if there was no pulse detected. The pressure changes can alarm everyone that something was out of range. I must have worked in the most well-equipped vent and trach unit.  Almost anything causing noises. It turned on the alarm system with different colors. The red color was an urgent color. 

[iNurs5, CNA]

I noticed that at least one or two of them was on the wrist restrained on daily basis for attempting to yank their trach away. Nurses and CNAs hated to work in this area if we were short-staff. They'd rather walk away. 

[Kitiger, RN]

6 hours ago, Honyebee said:

I worked in vent and trach.  I'm still trying to wrap around my head how they didn't detect changes in his oxygen level, pressure changes, etc. The pulse oximetry was noisy if there was no pulse detected. The pressure changes can alarm everyone that something was out of range. I must have worked in the most well-equipped vent and trach unit.  Almost anything causing noises. It turned on the alarm system with different colors. The red color was an urgent color. 

The patient was not on a vent, although he did have a trach. He was in a "rehab and nursing center", so something like a nursing home. He may not have had continuous pulse oximetry. The probe can be uncomfortable, and difficult to keep in place, and - depending on facility policy - not required. The order might have been for intermittent checks.

[iNurs5, CNA]

9 hours ago, Kitiger said:

The patient was not on a vent, although he did have a trach. He was in a "rehab and nursing center", so something like a nursing home. He may not have had continuous pulse oximetry. The probe can be uncomfortable, and difficult to keep in place, and - depending on facility policy - not required. The order might have been for intermittent checks.

I got it. I wouldn't work with this condition. Dangerous. 

Thank you.

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

3 hours ago, Honyebee said:

I got it. I wouldn't work with this condition. Dangerous. 

Thank you.

If this is the patient's baseline, it may not necessarily be dangerous. Continuous monitoring in acute care is ordered because the patient is not at their baseline, or because it's protocol based on type of floor/level of care or medications being given. This is not a hospital setting at all. While not at a point these patients can go home, they no longer need hospital level care and continuous monitoring isn't warranted.

[iNurs5, CNA]

2 hours ago, Rose_Queen said:

If this is the patient's baseline, it may not necessarily be dangerous. Continuous monitoring in acute care is ordered because the patient is not at their baseline, or because it's protocol based on type of floor/level of care or medications being given. This is not a hospital setting at all. While not at a point these patients can go home, they no longer need hospital level care and continuous monitoring isn't warranted.

I see. They aren't telling the whole story of this scenario.