Doctors perform induction and then C/S on non-pregnant woman

Published

http://fayobserver.com/Articles/2010/03/31/987295

It's hard for me to imagine the cascade of ineptitude and massive screwups that led to this, but there it is.

Alrighty then! Why front page indeed! Please tell me these 2 screwballs are no longer licensed to cut people open.

Somehow they'll try to blame the nurses and Anesthesia, just you watc

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Specializes in Case Management.

I imagine next we will be hearing about the multi million dollar payout to the "poor" patient who was damaged by major surgery. No accounting for her responsibilty to at least question whether or not she needed a c section. To come in and demand a C section when there had to be a question in her mind, surely. But she and her husband will no doubt smell money and there will be no shortage of attorneys who will take the case.

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Specializes in NICU, Post-partum.
I imagine next we will be hearing about the multi million dollar payout to the "poor" patient who was damaged by major surgery. No accounting for her responsibilty to at least question whether or not she needed a c section. To come in and demand a C section when there had to be a question in her mind, surely. But she and her husband will no doubt smell money and there will be no shortage of attorneys who will take the case.

I hate to say it, but I don't think the patient is responsible...a patient cannot cut themselves open and since when do physicians perform surgery without a confirmed dx???

Nurses have seen the patient deny that they could be pregnant and claiming to be virgins up until the baby is placed in Mom's arms.

The opposite is also true.

The physicians cannot blame the nurses or Anesthesia...the OB-GYN resident is the ONLY one responsible for confirming the pregnancy.

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
I imagine next we will be hearing about the multi million dollar payout to the "poor" patient who was damaged by major surgery. No accounting for her responsibilty to at least question whether or not she needed a c section. To come in and demand a C section when there had to be a question in her mind, surely. But she and her husband will no doubt smell money and there will be no shortage of attorneys who will take the case.

She did not come in and demand a C/S. She came in, believing she was in labor. When no FHTs were found, they assumed it was a demise, and they proceeded to induction, and then C/S. The patient was either mentally ill, or suffered from pseudocyesis. Either way, the onus was on the MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL to ascertain that there was indeed a pregnancy.

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Specializes in Cardio-Pulmonary; Med-Surg; Private Duty.

Still don't understand how any moron could have missed this.... How can you stick your hand up a lady's crotch and not know whether or not she's carrying a full-term fetus???

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I cannot see how on earth this happened!

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Thats crazy. They should have a had the pt on a moniter. b an ultrasound you do not do a csec because a pt demands it. They should have at least listen for heart tones if nothing else.

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
Thats crazy. They should have a had the pt on a moniter. b an ultrasound you do not do a csec because a pt demands it. They should have at least listen for heart tones if nothing else.

{sigh}

Did you not read any of the previous posts, or the posts in the other thread?

They scanned her, there were no heart tones, they were treating it as a fetal demise.

Yes, there was negligence. Apparently, an intern did an U/S to determine fetal demise and it was documented as such. Apparently, this intern was not skilled at reading U/S and wasn't able to recognize that it wasn't a gravid uterus.

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

Threads merged.

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
{sigh}

Did you not read any of the previous posts, or the posts in the other thread?

They scanned her, there were no heart tones, they were treating it as a fetal demise.

Yes, there was negligence. Apparently, an intern did an U/S to determine fetal demise and it was documented as such. Apparently, this intern was not skilled at reading U/S and wasn't able to recognize that it wasn't a gravid uterus.

I just wanted to come back and apologize for my rude tone in this post. There was no need.

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Specializes in Women's health & post-partum.

I'm reminded of a time when we had a patient come in for a c/section for I've forgotten what reason (possible contracted pelvis, maybe?). This was in the 1970s, so the first-year resident ordered pelvimetry, and all agreed that she needed a section. Her dates were uncertain, but she measured term, so she was prepared for the surgery, including shaving the poor girl from stem to stern (this was the 70s). Then the fourth year came in, studied the x-ray for a few seconds and said "I see we've got twins here." Not one of them noticed the second little spine. I've often wished I'd seen the film before the doc did--I'd like to know if I'd have seen the second baby.

The surgery was postponed for several weeks.

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Specializes in L&D,Wound Care, SNC.

I am not 100% sure the patient demanded it. I know that one of news stories does say that. I think the patient was seen somewhere else where the resident then asked the attending if the patient could be induced for the "fetal demisse" at said hospital. From what I understand labor was induced x2 days before the patient was brought to the OR for a section.

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