deposition

Deleted by myself because I was posting in the wrong thread. Silly me.

She is probably going to be deposed since the family is sueing the hospital. Ireview med mal for an ins co that covers many hospitals here and in several other states. I have actually not ever seen anyone go after a specific RN (although they do sometimes) usually the plantiff will go after the "deep pockets" which is the hospital. I have also seen them go after the MD. Your friend should go and talk to the risk manager for the hospital and possibly the hospitals atty of course if she is deposed she will most likely meet the atty prior to depostition for some coaching..I would hope anyways. Unless your friend was overly negligent or she did not follow policies and protocols then she may be spared. According to the law, the nurse has to provide care based on standards that a reasonable and prudent nurse would follow. That means that if her actions were appropriate even if she did not go the extra mile and she practiced to the standard she should have nothing to worry about...however, lawsuits are won and lost based on many factors other than the actual facts unfortunately. Sorry to be so long and i hope she fairs well...Depositions are HELL.( Iwas going to testify as an expert for the defense so I watched tapes to prepare...eeek)..just tell her to answer simply each question, do not use emotion, if she does not know state "not to my knowledge"...and when they try to discredit her ,which they may, keep her cool. tell her to remember she will never have the "right" answer for the plantiff atty..he or she is not going to all of a sudden say, "oh I see what you mean okay we'll drop the whole thing"...just tell the facts and KISS. Erin

1) If your friend was, will be, or might be named in this lawsuit she needs to speak with her OWN attorney and be prepared by him/her before the deposition. She cannot depend on the hospital to have her interests at heart, no matter what they or their attorneys say. They'll throw her to the wolves if it means decreasing their liability. Count on it.

2) If she has malpractice insurance, she needs to contact her company ASAP and inform them what is going on

3) Regardless, she needs to keep copies of every piece of paper concerning this matter that she can get her hands on, make notes about every conversation or telephone call that has occurred about the incident and the subsequent legal proceedings, and write and say NOTHING about this matter to co-workers or friends or anyone else except HER attorney.

prmenrs writes: "Hopefully, she noted every time she called the sturgeon"

I don't believe this was a story about fish.

Enjoyed your first-person account. Clearly deposition time is NOT the time to rely on the generosity of strangers (or of employers).

Glad it turned out well (besides the underwear, i.e.) for you.

Usually Family Memebers who sue dont go after the nurse, they go after the hosptial. Who can they get more out of?? A hosptial. We had a case where Im from when a Nurse gave blood to a patient with Dr. Orders to a Jeovah Witness who didnt want blood. He is sueing the hosptial not the doctor or the nurse who gave or intiated the orders. Hope everything works out well for your friend.

Thanks for your replys :)