Hurricane Katrina and murder charges

Published Jul 24, 2006

8 Posts

Hi, I have always been very interested in medical/nursing ethics, and I could not help being absolutely glued to the TV during the Hurricane Katrina tragedy. I just read in the newspaper that a doctor and 2 nurses at a hospital in NO are being charged with murdering 3 patients with Morphine and Versed so that they (the staff) could leave the hospital. I have not heard but the very sketchiest of details, so am not sure of how I feel about any of this. Just wondered if any of you are familiar with the facts as they have been charged in the crimes. I am sure that the defendants will not comment until a trial if one is held. The only thing I do remember hearing during the storm was a doctor who had made it out after about 7 days of over 100 degree heat, no power, no water for patients, etc. but staff stayed on duty and even fanned patients with cardboard to try to cool them. Nurses even gave themselves IV's to keep going because there was not enough drinking water to keep them hydrated in the heat. This doctor told how the staff had carried patients up 5 floors or so by putting them on their backs, etc. to save them from the rising water. He made the comment that they had no way to move several patients on vents or something and no power, and with the rising water, they were afraid the patients would drown. He said he had started thinking of what would happen if the worst came to pass and they had to abandon these patients and move to higher floors. He said he thought they might have to admininister a large dose of morphine to make them as comfortable as possible, and virtually anesthestized, and then save all the patients they could. I cannot imagine being in a situation like this ever. What an awful thought to have to make a decision of life, etc. He was so glad that it did not come to that. Let me hear from all of you, some of you may have even been in NO during this time. You have my admiration, and I think you are all heroes. Many staff could have been evacuated but volunteered to stay for days to take care of as many paitents as possible. Some were bagging vent patients manually, etc., it sounded awful. Hurray for all of you!!!