Currently reading "The Good Nurse"...

Published

Hi everyone,

I am a nursing student from NJ, and I am currently reading "The Good Nurse," about Charles Cullen, the NJ nurse that admitted to poisoning approximately 40 patients, although it is believed he poisoned well over 400.

I've been pretty taken aback by how lax hospitals were, the fact that this man was repeatedly hired at other hospitals, and the fact that despite major evidence, hospitals decided to keep things under wraps to avoid sullying their reputations.

This may be a dumb question, but as someone with zero experience working in a hospital (yet), is this actually a common thing? Perhaps things were changed after/because of the negligence of those involved in this case?

I figured I would just ask on this forum because as I read on, I find myself continuously saying "this can't possibly still be an issue or how things get done - is it?!"

For anyone not in the know, the process of Cullen getting officially "caught" began in 2003, so it was not that far off.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

In 2003, jobs were easy to come by. It wasn't until 2008 or 2009 that there was such a glut of new nurses on the market that jobs were difficult to get. I believe Cullen worked in more than one state, which would make the communication between hospitals more difficult. And not everyone believes in standing up for the right thing -- many managers will give a bad employee a good recommendation just to get rid of them.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical care.

I worked with a nurse in the 1980's who Was accused of killing about 30 pts in our ICU. She was let off because it was too difficult to prove.I bet they could prove now with how technology has improved. They finally caught her on a 17 yr old pt .her name is Jane Bolding. I don't know how to attach a link or I would show you the AP story. The whole thing was so exciting til you realized how many victims she had.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

Check out the story of Genene Jones LVN - worked with her in San Antonio prior to her being caught in 1982. Multiple child murders. She was hired by an unsuspecting pediatrician after being given a 'good reference' by the hospital even though they had serious questions about her involvement in some unexplained pedi deaths. Unbelievably, she is eligible for early release in 2018.

Genene initiated respiratory arrests in order to stage a heroic 'rescue' of those babies ... and prove that she was just as good as the RNs. Sometimes, it didn't work exactly as she had planned.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Read it as well. Good book.

Seriously scary stuff... Amazing how hospitals would be so afraid of lawsuits they would let potential murders move on to their next hunting grounds with positive recommendations no less.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
I worked with a nurse in the 1980's who Was accused of killing about 30 pts in our ICU. She was let off because it was too difficult to prove.I bet they could prove now with how technology has improved. They finally caught her on a 17 yr old pt .her name is Jane Bolding. I don't know how to attach a link or I would show you the AP story. The whole thing was so exciting til you realized how many victims she had.

​Exciting? Even if she'd only had one victim, "exciting" wouldn't be the word I'd use.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I worked with a nurse in the 1980's who Was accused of killing about 30 pts in our ICU. She was let off because it was too difficult to prove.I bet they could prove now with how technology has improved. They finally caught her on a 17 yr old pt .her name is Jane Bolding. I don't know how to attach a link or I would show you the AP story. The whole thing was so exciting til you realized how many victims she had.

I couldn't find much information on her.

Didn't find anything about a 17 year old.

Do you think she did it?

They had no evidence.

I wonder what she has been doing since then.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I found the book to be an interesting read.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Oh, and he had a BSN! :sarcastic:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

There's a bunch here I've never heard of before.

10 Serial-Killing Nurses - Listverse

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Inpatient Oncology/Public Health.

Ugh that nurse that killed kids with presumed vaccinations. Parental nightmare.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
On 7/29/2014 at 4:31 PM, Mulan said:

I couldn't find much information on her.

Didn't find anything about a 17 year old.

Do you think she did it?

They had no evidence.

I wonder what she has been doing since then.

Yes. The family does. She admitted to it under duress, so her admission was inadmissible. She was charged with 3 murders, but believed to have had over 50 victims. She moved, changed her name and at last I heard was working in hospital administration.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment