Nurse Charged With Homicide

HomeBound · Feb 6, 2019

9 minutes ago, Susie2310 said:
I agree with HomeBound that people here are getting hot and bothered because they don't believe that nurses and doctors should be held to a higher standard.
In my opinion, you would hardly know that nursing has a Code of Ethics and that nurses are supposed to be the Patient's Advocate. I believe that nursing as a profession suffers from a serious lack of ethical behavior on the part of a number of nurses, and that the general public, who are our patients, suffer as a result.
Some health care professionals like to think that when they provide negligent care that harms or kills patients they will magically face no consequences - that there will be a "good fairy" to spirit away their errors that are due to negligence (and some facilities do hide errors and don't report them, just as some health care professionals don't report their errors). Medical/nursing errors have been shown to harm and kill large numbers of patients yearly, yet some nurses want all this to be brushed under the carpet and for there to be no criminal, civil, social, or employment consequences.

It hits home. Nobody likes to be held accountable, particularly nowadays. I am an old timer---so I see things a bit differently than some of the new nurses coming up.

Who would trust an NP that has never actually done one real minute of direct patient care? I don't care how booksmart someone is. My ex was a brilliant undergrad/medical student and then when he got into practice? I wouldn't allow him to touch my worst enemy. The. Worst. I was called several times by his fellowship director asking me if there were some reason my ex was so poorly prepared---late nights? drinking problem? drugs? How could they help? It was humiliating and cringe inducing---because I worked for the same employer. I quit, by the way, after his ? dragging became my problem.

He was sued for negligence r/t a PE pt in the ER, because he didn't feel like getting his lazy ? out of bed, insisting instead that everyone wait until the day attending get there in order to do the VQ. Pt died. He was never even deposed. The hospital settled. Not even a slap on the wrist for him.

He then moved on, because of a lack of bodies at a very famous institution...they plugged him in to their rotation because of $$$$$$$ for residents. Take a look at how much a teaching hospital gets for "teaching". Pay the residents and students zippo---and pocket the money---and the attendings and other "preceptors" disappear like vapor.

I watched. I saw from the inside. My ex moved on to a DIRECTORSHIP of a small community hospital. Yes, lower pay---and because of that, no one of any real skill would take the job. So he had that, plus his "famous hospital" on his resume. He looks like some badass---when really? He had his medical texts out on his desk at all times, because he had to read the chapters on whatever medical problem was in his path. Stuff he should have known, practiced, and been an expert on.

This guy makes 1m per year and laughs at anybody who hired him, saying "I wonder when they'll figure out I'm a fraud."

What my point here is---is that there are good and there are bad in every profession. Just because Radonda Vaught has an RN after her name, doesn't mean she should be a nurse, or even that she's a good person. She could be the devil incarnate and still pass the NCLEX. Actions, not words or certifications---are what the law is about, and I for one---am appreciative that there are RULES and LAWS that protect people from the likes of my ex, and quite possibly---Ms. Vaught.

Personal accountability and the way people conduct themselves with their judgement---is a clear indicator of how you conduct yourself professionally.

We have deep background checks for a reason. If you don't pay your child support, that means you have that kind of character, where you don't fulfill your obligations. If you get stopped for DUI, that means you feel you are above the law and rules. If you got thrown out of one college for cheating, that means you are more apt to lie and cheat when it would benefit you.

Her friends are all singing her praises. Well....it's the same stupid premise that I would write down 5 references that may not say good things about me. OF COURSE I am going to give you references that love me to pieces. What the hell.

Now her linked in, instagram, facebook, twitter accounts are all closed. Hmmm. If she doesn't want to hear from someone, all she has to do is make those things private. But she didn't---she vomited all of her personal life, beliefs, snarks, crappy days, cleavage shots----all over---and what that screams to me is....bad judgement all the way around, personally as well as professionally. Which, in turn, tells me....nursing is not a serious profession for her---it's a paycheck.

And therein lies the biggest problem right below monetization of healthcare. When a sensitive, caring, uber responsible profession attracts the type that comes here to get paid and no other considerations matter.

Like the PhDs and the NPs and the MSNs who can't do basic CPR because they've had their heads in a book for 8 years, and now they're my boss?

Good judgement is an integral part of nursing. Period. If someone cannot handle that....they need to get out---and yes. that is an answer. this is not for the dipstick dumbasabrick barely passed pharmacology can't figure out 1:1 ratios on insulin drips but still wants to be nurse manager.

Wuzzie · Feb 6, 2019

9 minutes ago, magellan said:
What kind of specialty area are you in when you give it to thousands of patient in your practice? Is your primary specialty is in the OR suite, Procedure, pre-op or ICU where the patient is hooked up in the monitor. I'm a registry nurse that works in the Medical Surgical, telemetry unit, ICU, burn unit, orthopedics, home health, psychiatry, LTAC, skilled nursing etc for 17 years but I haven't administered Versed in those areas of specialty. I did administer it however one time but it was in the surgery center with the doctor inside all the time and the patient was hooked up to the monitor with crash cart next to it. Versed have been used to kill a condemned prisoner in a death row with no medical condition. Remember Michael Jackson with propofol, it's the same effect when given to patients without highly trained personnel and proper resuscitative equipment at bedside because usually it's being used as anesthetics. But sometimes, professionals used it to push the envelope thinking that it is really safe but it's not always the case. It's better to be safe than to be sorry later on.

Three decades of pediatric/neonatal ICU including 20 years of flight nursing and emergency nursing. Nice try.

HomeBound · Feb 6, 2019

2 minutes ago, Wuzzie said:
Three decades of pediatric/neonatal ICU including 20 years of flight nursing and emergency nursing. Nice try.

I ❤️ you wuzzie.

fltopp1 · Feb 6, 2019

I understand peoples feelings for her because of our line of work, however we take an oath of a very serious career. Homicide may be extreme versus Manslaughter because the definition of homicide shows more intent versus manslaughter being more of a mistake type charge. Nursing is a difficult job and yes sometimes the pressure can be very overwhelming. we also need to consider that the Pt puts their life into our hands and our license tells that patient that they can trust us to know what we're doing. I don't care if she had 6 months as a nurse, if in doubt ask another nurse. Giving a lethal dose of ANYTHING is not acceptable in ANY case big or small. I saw a response from someone that said "If I would have known this was possible I wouldn't have become a Nurse". That's ridiculous. If you cannot handle the responsibility of keeping people alive (or NOT killing them), then go be responsible for a Slurpee Machine at 7-11. This is a case we should all keep in the back of our minds next time a med that has clear warnings on the vial is to be issued that we could possibly take for granted. Im sorry but I don't feel bad for the nurse, I feel bad for the family that trusted the Nurse to do her duties correctly.

oneof5 · Feb 6, 2019

All of this was tragic for the nurse and for the family. She most certainly shouldn't be charged. No one else in that facility that lent to the mistake was charged. They basically threw her under the bus. I don't even think she should have her license taken away, but I suspect she doesn't want it anyway.

18 hours ago, Emergent said:
Yes, of course I meant "charges". Dang it all, posting on my phone after a glass of wine.

18 hours ago, Nurse Beth said:
Red or white? ?

If you never have had to deal with the BON, I hope you don't. Just to let you and EVERYONE on here know, the above comments can get you sanctioned by the BON for Unprofessionalism. I have been dealing with the BON for the past two years and am getting ready to lose my ability to practice. Not because my own state BON won't let me practice but because they REPRIMANDED my license and I have a Ca license. I never practiced in that state and was going to let my license go, but because it is still active and they have the right to formally charge my license and because I refuse to jump through their ridiculous requirements, I am having to surrender my license. How does that affect me here at my job? OIG. For my state BON, I had to take an ethics class and one of the things that I found out in that class was, the above posting can cause you to lose your license, at the very least, reprimanded. I went into that class very angry that I had to be there, this was all because of lies that were concocted to get me fired at a hospital. BON's don't really investigate unless you contest it and since they have the unlimited funds of taxpayer dollars you don't have a snowball's chance in hell of winning. The are going to do "something" to your license reprimand to suspend. Just like in this nurses case at Vanderbilt, no one is holding the hospital accountable for this. It is ALL on the nurse. The BON did not hold the hospital accountable for the lies that they told, they just accepted them as proof. The hospital didn't have to show any proof of what they were alleging. I walked into that Ethics class angry and thinking of leaving nursing. I walked out determined to leave nursing. I signed up for readmission to college the very next week. I am glad I did, because it is getting readto all go down the tubes. All of this has left a bad taste in my mouth for what can happen to you as a nurse and how there is no consequences to the employer. My message here is, be careful what you say, most certainly be careful what you do and most definitely be careful what you post online. The take away that I got from that ethics class was, your personal life and thoughts are not your own. It doesn't matter if you are on the clock. The governmental overreach that the BON and Medial Board is mind boggling.

HomeBound · Feb 6, 2019

5 minutes ago, oneof5 said:
All of this was tragic for the nurse and for the family. She most certainly shouldn't be charged. No one else in that facility that lent to the mistake was charged. They basically threw her under the bus. I don't even think she should have her license taken away, but I suspect she doesn't want it anyway.
If you never have had to deal with the BON, I hope you don't. Just to let you and EVERYONE on here know, the above comments can get you sanctioned by the BON for Unprofessionalism. I have been dealing with the BON for the past two years and am getting ready to lose my ability to practice. Not because my own state BON won't let me practice but because they REPRIMANDED my license and I have a Ca license. I never practiced in that state and was going to let my license go, but because it is still active and they have the right to formally charge my license and because I refuse to jump through their ridiculous requirements, I am having to surrender my license. How does that affect me here at my job? OIG. For my state BON, I had to take an ethics class and one of the things that I found out in that class was, the above posting can cause you to lose your license, at the very least, reprimanded. I went into that class very angry that I had to be there, this was all because of lies that were concocted to get me fired at a hospital. BON's don't really investigate unless you contest it and since they have the unlimited funds of taxpayer dollars you don't have a snowball's chance in hell of winning. The are going to do "something" to your license reprimand to suspend. Just like in this nurses case at Vanderbilt, no one is holding the hospital accountable for this. It is ALL on the nurse. The BON did not hold the hospital accountable for the lies that they told, they just accepted them as proof. The hospital didn't have to show any proof of what they were alleging. I walked into that Ethics class angry and thinking of leaving nursing. I walked out determined to leave nursing. I signed up for readmission to college the very next week. I am glad I did, because it is getting to all go down the tubes. All of this has left a bad taste in my mouth for what can happen to you as a nurse and how there is no consequences to the employer. My message here is, be careful what you say, most certainly be careful what you do and most definitely be careful what you post online. The take away that I got from that ethics class was, your personal life and thoughts are not your own. It doesn't matter if you are on the clock. The governmental overreach that the BON and Medial Board is mind boggling.

Ms Vaught's license on Nursys as well as the TN BON is "UNEMCUMBERED". She has a multistate license to practice nursing and has not been sanctioned in any way to this date, even though this episode happened a year ago.

To those nurses who think they're so cute and awesome and badass posting all their stuff all over the internet, even if it's "private"---keep this post in mind when someone who doesn't think you're so cute or awesome or badass and turns you into the BON.

Grow up, take responsibility and keep your fly zipped. Stop showing your butts and do the job--or go. I would rather work short than deal anymore with these snapchatters who think I or anyone else is interested in their cleavage.

Crow31 · Feb 6, 2019

My fellow nurses I hope you are taking what is happening to this woman seriously! A huge warning of where this profession is going. I’ve been contemplating stepping out of this profession for several reasons and this is an exact reason of one of them: the worse case scenario. Let’s be frank and I know I’m speaking to smart professionals here. We don’t know exact details, but at the same time we don’t need to.

We work with the odds that we will make a mistake all the time for all kinds of various reasons we all can relate to. Some days worse than others. If we step back, logically/mathematically even we know a mistake is going to happen. Hers happened unfortunately to be a fatal one. ( worse case scenario) My heart goes out for the family. Despite all the reasons though she needs to own her mistake of course. This is not my point. Read further.

Listen, let’s agree we are all going to make a mistake despite our best efforts. Now some may wonder why doctors make mistakes and they don’t go to jail necessarily. You’re right, so why is that? Follow the money. This was a horrible accident and the family may not personally find the nurse at fault, but would like compensation. Can’t blame the doctor so the money is not going to come from his/her insurance. The hospital either can’t/won’t pay up due to they would claim no fault. So what happens next? A nurse generally has no significant assets and she’s at fault. Well, unfortunately that’s where criminal charges come in because a lawsuit won’t work here.

Again, I’m not an expert on such matters as these so take my words as you will, but do be warned. My fellow nurses, that could be any of us and we know it. (Bare bone staffing, unrealistic expectations, etc) So what do you do? As for me, I’ve only been a nurse for 10 years and seen some not so nice things about healthcare. Though self sacrifice can be honorable, but jail time? I’m out! For those who still wish to practice, my only advice is to get great malpractice insurance. Maybe that will save you from criminal charges and jail time.

KJoRN81, RN · Feb 6, 2019

From what I’ve read about this, there were numerous things she did wrong. I feel bad for everyone involved, honestly, but the mistakes she made were crazy.

Medic_to_BSN, BSN, RN · Feb 6, 2019

Just to put this out there - the charge carries a 2 to 12 year prison term in Tennessee. Reckless homicide is not defined the same in every state. Criminally negligent homicide, a slightly lesser charge in TN, carries a 1 to 6 year prison term.

From the Tennessee legal code: (https://www.lawserver.com/law/state/tennessee/tn-code/tennessee_code_39-13-215 )

"Terms Used In Tennessee Code 39-13-215. Reckless homicide

Reckless: means that a person acts recklessly with respect to circumstances surrounding the conduct or the result of the conduct when the person is aware of, but consciously disregards a substantial and unjustifiable risk that the circumstances exist or the result will occur."

My dilemma with the charges is the phrase "when the person is aware of, but consciously disregards". I was not in her brain, so it's hard for me to tell how conscious she was of her conduct. She should have been ... but I have no idea what her frame of mind was like during those moments. I guess it's possible that the fact that they are plural "moments" and not a singular "moment" may be problematic.

Overall, this story makes me incredible sad for all parties involved. It makes me a significant bit more nervous as a nursing student, too. After having worked a decade in quality improvement, I feel like I've seen many cases that could easily have ended in a similar manner after many protocols and safety measures were overridden.

One includes a physician and his PA that did not order a pregnancy test in a patient with RLQ abdominal pain and lady partsl bleeding, believing that it was menstrual blood, because the patient believed it to be. Several people missed the opportunity to request a pregnancy test and failed to document LMP (or even record it on forms), etc. Included an abdominal X-ray. Patient sent home. Turned out to be ectopic. I have a hard time believing that, if there had been a rupture and death, anyone would have been charged. But I also don't know if it is an appropriate analogy.

I don't know that years in prison is the answer; I tend to think that it's not, but that may be an emotional response.

It is a sobering story, no matter your perspective.

oneof5 · Feb 6, 2019

8 minutes ago, HomeBound said:
Ms Vaught's license on Nursys as well as the TN BON is "UNEMCUMBERED". She has a multistate license to practice nursing and has not been sanctioned in any way to this date, even though this episode happened a year ago.
To those nurses who think they're so cute and awesome and badass posting all their stuff all over the internet, even if it's "private"---keep this post in mind when someone who doesn't think you're so cute or awesome or badass and turns you into the BON.
Grow up, take responsibility and keep your fly zipped. Stop showing your butts and do the job--or go. I would rather work short than deal anymore with these snapchatters who think I or anyone else is interested in their cleavage.

When formal charges are brought against your license, in TN, it is not public until the board rules. When Ca brought charges against my license they made it Public the day they brought the charges up. So just because you don't see it on Nursys, doesn't mean they are doing it. I would be shocked if they don't.

To be clear, MY licensed wasn't reprimanded because of what I was warning about. I just found it out in the Ethics class. Just because you ARE grown up, take responsibility, work hard, do your job and do it well even while working short, doesn't mean someone can lie about you and cause you to lose your license. Take that right there, to heart!!! It can happen and it did happen to me. Even when I had about 20 letters of support from doctors, fellow co-workers, and former managers.

DowntheRiver · Feb 6, 2019

Just a thought, but I wonder if that nurse reads this forum...

Lololololoollkkgddfuih · Feb 6, 2019

20 hours ago, mtnNurse. said:
Would this happen to a doctor if a fatal mistake was made?

Probably... but they are less likely to make such an obvious error.

Nurse Charged With Homicide

Should Radonda Vaught, the nurse who gave a lethal dose of Vecuronium to patient at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, be charged with reckless homicide?