Deadly Epidural

Published

The epidural, the second one, was lying in the bed and the anesthesiologist just hooked it back up. It was contaminated-and had an open end to the patient. That seems like the most likely source to me. What a shame.

I have not even started pre reqs yet and when I read that went oh my God! That is exactly what I thought as well. Dang! So so sad.

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Gompers you can do it! there are so many ways to cope with labor pain. it's intermittent too.

Acupuncture, hypnosis, Doula, TENS, along with all the regulars... This was so unnecessary.

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

This is in fact a horrible story, but several of us have touched on the nurse's role of advocate and the fact that very few women getting epidurals for labor have been given enough information to give informed consent. In fact, most are given basically NO info. In labor it takes on starker contrast because most procedures are optional and not medically necessary, but from my limited experience (1 year school), it looks to me like very few people anywhere in the hospital are treated like anything but idiots when it comes to disclosing risks. This really concerns me.

My feeling about childbirth are why I don't think I can ever work in that area of a hospital. I've had 6 children drug-free, 1 naturally at home with CNM. I believe in educated mothers and fathers making their own decisions, whatever they may be-and I never saw that being allowed in the hospital (unless the decision was to let the standard protocol be followed without explanation). I had to threaten lawsuits just to get out of bed during labor on a couple occasions! And another time I was physically forced onto my back to deliver (as opposed to all fours) to make it easier for the doctor. Anyway, it saddens me so much I think I'd go insane having to humiliate patients like that as part of my job.

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Gompers you can do it! there are so many ways to cope with labor pain. it's intermittent too.

Acupuncture, hypnosis, Doula, TENS, along with all the regulars... This was so unnecessary.

Sometimes the pain isn't intermittent like they tell you in birthing class :o . When you have labor pains that don't let up long enough for you to catch your breath or take a break, an epidural is a wonderful thing. I've had an epidural turned up too high (made it difficult to push but it was nice to not feel a darn thing), one not refreshed before I started pushing so I felt the whole birth (OUCH!!), and a scheduled c-section for twins that scared the bejeebers out of me (nothing like being numb from the waist down and having your arms strapped down and no control over your body :eek: ). I think many women go into labor thinking they can do it au naturel and then realize it hurts like nobody's business.

What is/are TENS?

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Specializes in RN: L&D, LPN: Med/Surg, CNA: MedSurg/LTC.
I think many women go into labor thinking they can do it au naturel and then realize it hurts like nobody's business.

Probably cuz the hospital isn't a fun place to try and do it naturally. You've got people running around threatening induction/c-sections if the baby isn't born at a certain time, giving episiotomies without even telling you, not letting you change positions. Who wants to lay on their BACK during the whole labor? How uncomfortable. Then some places do the whole count to 10 when pushing, I have to change the channel when watching the baby shows when I hear that! LOL

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I can say from laboring without meds, it hurts, but it isnt impossible even in a hospital.

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Specializes in RN: L&D, LPN: Med/Surg, CNA: MedSurg/LTC.

Oh and then when the baby is born they let you see them for 2 seconds and then take them off to the nursery for HOURS. That really made me PO'd. I was in the birth euphoria and didn't know what was going on. Then waking me up in the middle of the night pretty much every hour to take my vitals and sign stuff was a PITA. I have to admit though the nurses were great except 1 that smelled BADLY of cigarettes.

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THat's true, I meant for normal labor...

What they should be teaching in birth class is how to prevent (in preg) /turn posterior babies in early labor

TENS is a transcutaneous electro-nerve stimulator usually used in Physical therapy. it sends electrical impulses thru the skin to confuse the nerve passageways/perception of pain

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Specializes in RN: L&D, LPN: Med/Surg, CNA: MedSurg/LTC.
I can say from laboring without meds, it hurts, but it isnt impossible even in a hospital.

Oh of course...I handled the pain perfectly but I got an epidural cuz the nurses told me they were giving me pitocin and I had read it made pain MUCH worse and instead of refusing (didn't know I COULD refuse) I got the epidural cuz I was scared :( My only regret is choosing my comfort over safety and yes I know many people will reply that their epis were heaven sent and that "some people can't do without it".

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:madface: How awful for this new father to have to go through this and then the hospital is trying to completely deny any responsibility for this woman's death.

You know, any information we have on this case is hearsay. We do not know for a fact that the hospital caused this woman's meningitis. Looking over the case there are things that could have/should have been done differently, but that is not inherently evidence of cause; and a one-sided news interview is not a court of law.

Meningitis comes on fast; its hallmark is that it strikes a previously healthy person: e.g., one minute the person is shopping, 8 hours later the person is dead. We read about these cases in the paper every year; a kid at ballet lessons on Friday, dead on Saturday; a college student studying for exams, dead by morning. It happens.

As for the response, we don't really know what happened there either. Postpartum headaches and fever can have more than one cause. If I had a patient who had a postpartum headache I'd be thinking pre-eclampsia and possibly post-epidural headache, not meningitis. Even with the fever, which could be a result of dehydration or a virus. Maybe the antibiotic wasn't given because it had to come up from pharmacy and wasn't available yet.

I have no connection to the hospital, and I'm not trying to diminish the family's pain; I just think we ought to be careful rather than assume we know the truth.

No one expects a previously healthy person to drop dead.

Altalorraine

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Yeah, did I not read it thorougly enough, or did they not mention this when they started talking about her infection? That is immediately where my mind went. They should have pulled the catheter and given her broad-spectrum IV antibiotics immediately after discovering the disconnection.

Yes, they should have. This was made worse, though, by having all of the family in there and by the inattentiveness of the staff throughout the night.

It also sounds like she was allergic to the epi, perhaps. I'm glad they are suing.

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Oh of course...I handled the pain perfectly but I got an epidural cuz the nurses told me they were giving me pitocin and I had read it made pain MUCH worse and instead of refusing (didn't know I COULD refuse) I got the epidural cuz I was scared :( My only regret is choosing my comfort over safety and yes I know many people will reply that their epis were heaven sent and that "some people can't do without it".

Oh honey, having Pit is like getting beat with a 2'X4' and you should not feel bad about having an epidural.

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