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RaDonda Vaught made at least 10 mistakes in fatal Vanderbilt medication error, prosecutors say

This article outlines details of the prosecution's case. I am curious as to how the defense plans to pin this on the hospital?

I still can't fathom why the Tennessee BON didn't see fit to require at least some reeducation of Ms Vaught!

Specializes in Mental Health, Gerontology, Palliative.
16 hours ago, Nursetom1963 said:

As horrified as I was reading this, I can almost see myself doing this, I have close calls every day; and the computerization is more hurt than help where I work. What can we learn from this?

Slow down

If you are coming close to making a mistake every day you work, that suggests you are rushing. When its busy its very easy to think "I have to get that done" or when someone is demanding of your time, feeling like you have to be in three different places at once.

Its ok to say to the person demanding something "I need to finish what I am doing, give me X minutes"

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21 hours ago, LilPeanut said:

She has a job currently, she immediately got hired somewhere else.

Do you have a source for this? I would be incredibly shocked if any facility would employ her now that she is infamous. I could see someone hiring her after the initial incident but once it became news...

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
24 minutes ago, Asystole RN said:

Do you have a source for this? I would be incredibly shocked if any facility would employ her now that she is infamous. I could see someone hiring her after the initial incident but once it became news...

"While she is currently employed at the hospital, a spokesperson said that she is currently suspended and has no contact with patients since February 4, the day she was charged ."

https://www.newschannel5.com/news/support-grows-for-ex-vumc-nurse-charged-with-reckless-homicide

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Specializes in Critical Care.
On ‎4‎/‎10‎/‎2019 at 5:47 PM, LilPeanut said:

So, my biggest issue with that article is that it equates all rule breaking as being equal in severity, risk and consequence. Going 10 MPH vs 50 mph over the speed limit for example, as cited in the article. Speeding isn't a great idea. Most of us know it, but many do it anyway LOL But, it is intellectually dishonest to say it is the same that you were going 55 in a 45 zone and 95 in a 45 zone.

One is not a great idea, one is far more dangerous and more associated with accidents and harm.

I remember when I was a kid and got a speeding ticket, there was a range of fines, depending on how fast above the limit you were going, because the faster you were going, the more dangerous.

I mean, with this author's logic, there's no different in driving 160 mph down the street and driving 20 mph through a parking lot.

RV was driving 150 mph in a school zone

Please list the systems fault, that RV did not purposefully override or ignore.

They have systemic safety measures. One of the biggest faults found in the CMS that I saw was that they had an incompetent nurse. It was worded in a fancy way, but that's what it said.

Eventually, enough is enough. You have a reasonable amount of safety and well educated professionals, and there you go. There is no reason to think that another stumbling block would have slowed her down.

She has a job currently, she immediately got hired somewhere else.

The article actually was pointing out the difference between going 10 and 50 mph over the speed limit, and how it applies to negligence charges. There's no concrete definitions, but typically going 5mph over the speed limit in normal conditions doesn't imply a conscious awareness that you're likely to kill someone, going 50mph over could be argued that there would be a conscious awareness of the likelihood of causing harm.

As nice as it would be if all nurses were always at maximum diligence, reality is different, and it's in reality where patients get harmed.

Criminal negligence involves either conscious awareness of the likelihood of harm or malice. You've provided a good example of malice. If I as part of my job chose to avoid systemic and procedural safety measures that could avert harm even when the nurses own diligence fails to do so in order to teach her a lesson, that would be malice and appropriate for criminal charges.

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Specializes in NICU/Neonatal transport.
39 minutes ago, MunoRN said:

*snip*

As nice as it would be if all nurses were always at maximum diligence, reality is different, and it's in reality where patients get harmed.

Criminal negligence involves either conscious awareness of the likelihood of harm or malice. You've provided a good example of malice. If I as part of my job chose to avoid systemic and procedural safety measures that could avert harm even when the nurses own diligence fails to do so in order to teach her a lesson, that would be malice and appropriate for criminal charges.

Which is the difference between most med errors and this one. Most are 5 MPH over the speed limit. RV's was at least 50 MPH, maybe even 100.

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On 4/9/2019 at 2:20 PM, wondern said:

Two years experience is not enough to be floating everywhere with paralyzers in your pocket especially yes.

I agree hubris is not a good trait. No argument here.

One of the things I dislike the most about nursing is it seems like a lot of nurses are riding up on their high horse acting as if they are smarter than anyone else instead of trying to work together or collaborate. There's always a few out there trying to look like they have all the answers and only their way is the right way. There are a lot of ways to look at things.

Well, had RV been paying attention she wouldn't have had a paralyzer in her pocket now would she?

Yes, MOST nurses have a right to be on their high horse because MOST nurses would have never skipped the number of steps RV did...which is why this case made the news and why she is being criminally charged.

You seem to be very focused on blaming everyone except the RV. Sometimes the simple explanation is the best one: You had a sloppy nurse who has probably performed similar actions in the past and statistics just caught up with her.

No system in the world is going to be enough as long as you have nurses like RV determined to bypass every safety measure. Nurses like RV is why nurses have endless checklists...if you can't act like a college-educated healthcare professional you don't have any business working in healthcare.

Ever see a system where you have two physicians to sign off on everything? Its rare....and there is a reason for that.

Giving RV a pass damages EVERYONE in the profession.

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On 4/12/2019 at 9:06 PM, LilPeanut said:

Which is the difference between most med errors and this one. Most are 5 MPH over the speed limit. RV's was at least 50 MPH, maybe even 100.

This is a great example. Drive fast enough and instead of giving you a ticket, they will haul you into jail.

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12 minutes ago, Jory said:

This is a great example. Drive fast enough and instead of giving you a ticket, they will haul you into jail.

Seriously, if I drive through one stop sign it could be chalked up to anything (distraction, sun in my eyes-ersatz "situational blindness", lack of sleep any of these sound familiar?) but if I drive through 20 that's an entirely different ball game.

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Specializes in Community health.
6 hours ago, Jory said:

Ever see a system where you have two physicians to sign off on everything? Its rare....and there is a reason for that.

When I read this, I went “Hey! Ouch!” until I realized that you are unfortunately right. We have to buddy-system administering insulin because there are a lot of sloppy nurses. The doctors don’t get a buddy to sign their insulin prescription— we just have faith that they are checking carefully.

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Specializes in NICU/Neonatal transport.

@wondern

19 hours ago, CommunityRNBSN said:

When I read this, I went “Hey! Ouch!” until I realized that you are unfortunately right. We have to buddy-system administering insulin because there are a lot of sloppy nurses. The doctors don’t get a buddy to sign their insulin prescription— we just have faith that they are checking carefully.

They have essentially 3 double checks, the computer, the pharmacist, the nurse.

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I agree some need to be checked with the personals but this thread does NOT need to be closed because the RV stans don't like the realism of her holding some degree of fault of the patient dying. Management needs to be held accountable for the cover-up.


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