Nurse who survived Ebola is suing the hospital

Published

For ongoing pain and suffering, loss of future income, and privacy violations among other things. I wonder if she will win?

If nurses contract a disease (in general) because proper protocols were not in place, have you heard of them suing in other cases? Not only for diseases but for injuries?

Newspaper: Nurse who survived Ebola says hospital failed her - San Jose Mercury News

I had the same viewpoint. She should have refused to take the assignment due to lack of proper equipment and it could have put her life in danger. That is like saying management told me to put a coffee filter over my mouth to use as a TB mask and I agreed to do so, I have to accept SOME responsibility if I catch TB because I knew it wasn't right and I still went through with it. There should be some self responsibility for this situation.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I wasn't aware of the CDC guidelines on PPE dealing with Ebola infections until I started reading this thread (I took the whole summer off nursing). You need a skilled/trained OBSERVER when you don the extensive no-skin-exposed PPE to watch you AND when you doff the PPE, which is potentially quite dangerous. We have two negative pressure rooms for r/o TB and put several folks in there for that reason and at least one other similarly very infection condition. There is no foyer into the room, we donned outside the room, doffed just inside the door and completed doffing outside the room. According to the CDC there need be an isolated area designated for donning/doffing, not to mention a skilled observer checking you off and watching you like a hawk!

The more I think about this, the more I agree that a lawsuit was the appropriate way to go so that the 'word' gets out to US (nurses), so that we can pull out a can of whoop-$^# and make corporate put their money where their mouth is. If she did NOT sue, I seriously doubt this would have the (hopefully) far reaching effects it will have, including nurses getting outraged.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I far as a can remember, he didn't lie....

Negative

He lied 2 times actually. Once when leaving Africa he was asked if he had been around Ebola or person with Ebola.

Second time when he first went to Dallas Presby, He was asked if he had been around Ebola or Ebola Patient and he lied to medical staff....

Up Vote Up Vote ×

A soldier can not sue the military. I know, I served 11 years in the Army. The Feres Doctrine prohibits members of the armed forces from suing for personal injury while in active duty.

Read more: Suing the Military - Questions about Suing the Military on JustAnswer

Wow I am shocked that some of you are so quick to throw one of our own under the bus. I live in Texas and the first thing I thought when I read about the Eboli patient who had bloody projectile vomiting was that our PPE would not be effective in protecting staff. For starters, our necks are fully exposed. The CDC was in full Hazmat suits dealing with Eboli. There were nurses at the hospital calling a Nurses Union they were not even a part of to report the unsafe conditions in treating this patient which they felt put them at risk.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Of course Liberia and the Dallas hospital want to cover their butts. There has been conflicting reporting over what Mr. Duncan did or didn't know (about the ill woman he assisted in Liberia before leaving) and did or didn't say in Liberia or Texas.

Even if he did intentionally lie, the last time I checked, we don't shoot people for lying (as you suggested should have been done).

Up Vote Up Vote ×

So mention the of a controversial lawsuit now turns administration into the golden cooperatives with whom nurses can work out changes in policies without legalese?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I believe Mr. Duncan did lie to the staff at PHD, but I also believe he did so because he was terrified that he would be turned away from the hospital if he admitted he had exposure to ebola. Apparently, he had seen that happen with his own eyes in Liberia. I believe he was scared to death and was hoping the staff at PHD would just figure it out based on his symptoms.

I'm not saying it was right, but I understand it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Several points where she has a strong case:

1.) She did ask that the hospital not release any information on her and they did.

2.) The doc who took video of her and released it.

3.) The PPE she was wearing was inadequate. (Was the CDC ill informed then sending out bad info to all Americans. As someone on here said- they were wearing HAZMAT suites in Africa but we weren't here.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Well, now someone who was on the airplane with Amber Vinson is suing. It was on our local news. The woman was in isolation for 3 weeks. This one is a crock IMO. She needs to take acting lessons.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Mental Health Nursing.

I'm mixed about this one. While it is Nina's right to sue, the image of nursing will become tainted. She will be seen as a "greedy nurse" because the public is very quick to judge. I agree that something like this is the only way safety measures will be put into place to protect nurses; and it's sad it has to come to this. However, there is always a cost. And if she loses, she won't be the only one to lose.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion