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Discussion

Need help with all of your expert advice!!

Hello, my name is Brian and my wife's name is Debbie, my wife graduated from nursing school(washington school of nursing, in PA) on December 12th. She was to be hired at the same hospital and start work on the 15th however with the preemployment physical they found that she had a hernia and she needed it repaired to start work. They are holding the position for(which is great). She had the surgery scheduled for the 22nd of December doctor said the surgery went well, repaired 4 hernia's and put a large piece of mesh across her abnoman. She came home on Christmas day, that is the day they removed the last drain also. the following monday she went to see her pcp because she was running a fever(101 to 102) and had flu like syptoms(by the way she told her surgion about this also). The pcp gave her an antibiotic and said it was just the flu. Also where her belly button used to be(now was just a deep indentation) there appeared to be an abcess with some puss leaking. Pcp said this was fine. Still had the same symptoms for the next week now with nausia added. Went to see her surgion and he drained almost 100ml of fluid from her abdoman. He said this was fine and will leave the staples in for another week. He also said the area with the abcess and puss would dry up and scab, than the scab would fall off. This was on a monday, on tuesday she really got worse and the area was leaking more fluid, surgeon was not in so went to emergency room. ER doctor said this is not an infection just the flu, gave an IV of leviquin and a shot for the nausia(Still no cultures have been taken). The next morning the site was leaking really bad(soaking 8 4x4's in an hour) and would actually run out like a faucet. Called the surgeon and said go to the ER. ER doctor looked at it and waited for the surgeon. when he came in said we will operate again to clean up the incision. Next day surgery again and said went well cleaned up area and removed all the skin where belly button was. that nite she started spiking a fever again(102 to 103) however on this last surgery the nurse on the floor did a culture. she was told the next day she had MRSA. they did surgery again this past friday and removed the piece of mesh. An Infections doctor came up and things are starting to look much better. She should get to come home later this week by friday if all goes well. She is going to have to take IV antibiotics for 4 weeks after she comes home plus antibiotics by mouth. A visiting nurse will check the dressing daily and draw blood 2 too 3 times a week. This is put a huge strain on our family(we have 2 children) not to mention our pocketbooks.

A couple more things, when the intial surgery dressing was first changed(no gloves wore worn by either the doctor or nurse). The hospital hardley ever followed proper procedure on anything. We were told by the infections doctor that that could be a cause however it looks like the mesh was infected or contamenated. This is not the same hospital where she is going to work but her surgion is at this hospital that is why she went there. The surgeon is good( did wifes prior surgerys) and there was no problem.

I talked to one local lawyer(rather large and main office is in pittsburgh) and they said post op infections are hard to prove and win. I don't see how hard that is since they are admitting that it is there fault.

I don't know maybe all of you could shed some lite on my rather dark experiance.

Thank you

Featured Replies

  • Experts

Gosh - I'm sorry your wife has had so many problems with the surgery. However, I guess I'm dense because I don't know what advice you want. Whether to sue or not? Just not sure. Also - while the internet is okay for a bulletin board - its probably not the best place to get legal advice if that is what you are looking for. Good luck...take care.

  • Author

P_RN,

Thanks for the info, we will check on that one.

traumaRUs, no your not dense, I was not clear. I know bulletin boards are not good places for legal advice, I already know that I will check around with other lawyers and pursue the matter that way.

I guess all I wanted was to hear from other nurses about getting MRSA while in the hospital. If there has been other cirsumstances with mesh and what other nurses thought about the long draged out process that my wife and I have had to go through. Just some opinions from other nurses, that's all.

thanks

Originally posted by lildebbie

P_RN,

Thanks for the info, we will check on that one.

traumaRUs, no your not dense, I was not clear. I know bulletin boards are not good places for legal advice, I already know that I will check around with other lawyers and pursue the matter that way.

I guess all I wanted was to hear from other nurses about getting MRSA while in the hospital. If there has been other cirsumstances with mesh and what other nurses thought about the long draged out process that my wife and I have had to go through. Just some opinions from other nurses, that's all.

thanks

Lildebbie I think you're on the right track. Find a good lawyer. I don't think you'll have any trouble proving your case. In fact, I would be willing to bet that the hospital settles outside of court. This is a nosocomial infection meaning the hospital more than likely gave it to her. This isn't just your ordinary infection either it's MRSA.

Sounds like you need to find a different attorney. You need to do some home work as well. Such as document everything if not already done. Including the dressing change without gloves. Then do some research to show this is a common way to pass infection.

Dig up all the studies you can find on nosocomial infection. Additonally the way this was blown off as the "flu" despite the drainage that you report.

Provide the attorney with with research findings. Hire a nurse legal consultant. Your attorney actually should be the one doing this. However, unless they think there is a lot of easy $$ in this for them an attorney is unlikely to do the digging and hire the consultant. If they do not know how to win this you will have to provide them with the means. Also negotiate fees with the attorney accordingly. If you do most of the leg work his fees should be lower.

Shop arround all attorneys are not scalpers. Not every attorney knows how to win these cases. Law is like nursing once licensed they can legally work in any area of law. But like nursing it is too broad to be a generalist and be knowlegeable enough to handle any type of case. Attorneys who handle "anything" or seem to "specialize" in many areas is not who you want.

  • Experts

Now I get it. MRSA is a nosocomial infection and sometimes yes, the mesh becomes infected. I guess I'm wondering why you want to sue? Medicine and nursing are not precise. Sometimes things go wrong. Is your wife permanently disabled?

Originally posted by traumaRUs

Now I get it. MRSA is a nosocomial infection and sometimes yes, the mesh becomes infected. I guess I'm wondering why you want to sue? Medicine and nursing are not precise. Sometimes things go wrong. Is your wife permanently disabled?

Why do they want to sue? Because you shouldn't get MRSA in the OR. It's a good thing they weren't doing open heart or a transplant otherwise she could be dead. From what I read this isn't MRSA in the incision, it's MRSA in the mesh. If that's the case, it didn't have anything to do with something as simple as someone not washing their hands. It was a dirty OR!

  • Author

Now I get it. MRSA is a nosocomial infection and sometimes yes, the mesh becomes infected. I guess I'm wondering why you want to sue? Medicine and nursing are not precise. Sometimes things go wrong. Is your wife permanently disabled?

Not precise, wow someone better tell the instructors at the school my wife went to because they sure were picky and you better be precise when it came to everything. If that truley was the case than when a nurse measures your medicine and gives you too much and you die your defense could be Medicine and Nursing are not precise so I did not care.

Since when should it only count that the doctor or hospital or both screwed up only if you became disabled or lost your life. I am not saying shut down the hospital and give us millions of dollars. There were things that were lost(wages) and there will be things that will be put on hold for a lot longer than should have been(her career). She ended up with 2 more surgerys that should not have happened. She is ending up staying in the hospital weeks longer than she should have, we have to have a visiting nurse come to the house dailey, weekly blood draws and an IV that has to stay in for at least 4 weeks.

My problem is why should a person have to die(especially if younger) so there family get's some money. Money for what, a bunch of crap, I love my wife with all my soul and being and there is NO amount of money that could EVER compansate for a mishap by some half witted medical staff.

Sorry if I am ranting, however if all the nurses, doctors and all medical staff want to have their wages increased and thier malpractice insurance lowered, than maybe they should become more precise. Don't get me wrong there are many law suits that are not warranted and everyone should not sue for every little boo boo however they should not have to be a vegitable or die either.

thanks for letting me vent.

Brian

Originally posted by Speculating

Why do they want to sue? Because you shouldn't get MRSA in the OR. It's a good thing they weren't doing open heart or a transplant otherwise she could be dead. From what I read this isn't MRSA in the incision, it's MRSA in the mesh. If that's the case, it didn't have anything to do with something as simple as someone not washing their hands. It was a dirty OR!

I have done some research regarding MRSA myself and this will be hard to prove considering that MRSA seems to be every where and many of us(healthcareworkers)are colonized and some think that many in the public are also.My understanding of the post was that a culture done on the floor was + for mrsa and that the mesh was removed in the OR-but nothing in the post explained exactly why....Lost wages and some bucks for pain and suffering does not sound unreasonable to me-but isn't post op infection a recognized possible complication of any surgery? That's included on every consent form I have seen.It's freaking bad luck that it happens to be MRSA-it could have been anything...

What I don't understand is why the doctors were not more concerned about a wound infection early on. She has all of the classic symptoms. Why would they not have at least started abx when she began with the fever? She sought medical attention from the very beginning. She should never had endured all of what happened to her. I don't believe in fraudulent lawsuits either but I certainly think someone needs to investigate what happened to your wife. Someone needs to advocate for her as her doctors were not looking out for her best interests!! I pray that your family gets through all of this and your wife starts feeling better really soon!!! ((((((((((((HUGS))))))))))))))))):confused: :( :kiss

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