2 nurses arrested in CA.....

Tweety, BSN, RN · Sep 19, 2003

I've worked nocs for many years and am not afraid to call docs. They can act the fool at times, but you gotta do what you gotta do for the patient.

Some nurses fall into the doctor is a God syndrome and needs her/his precious sleep. Humbug!

Momma_Penguin · Sep 20, 2003

I have worked nites for many years. I am not afraid to call a doc in the middle of the night if the patient's condition warrant it. But I can not condone this...I mean where were their brains at???? And what would have happened if the med they gave to help this person...had an opposite effect??? OMG I like my license tooo much to ever try a stunt like that. I mean there are lots of ways to try and make patients feel better before we call the doc. I wonder if those were tried before they decided to go out of their scope of practice? Just wondering? And you wonder why we have to carry Liability Insurance and why those malpractice lawyers are rich? This is a good example.

Noney · Sep 20, 2003

Does anyone have a link to this story?

Noney

Agnus · Sep 20, 2003

Disturbing the Doc! Is that what we call caring for our patients, parcticing within our scope, and following the standard of care?

sanakruz, ADN · Sep 20, 2003

ARRESTED- ????

I'm with Noney- This is hardly a criminal matter, unless the individual in question CROAKED!

Show me the Link!

Geeg · Sep 20, 2003

I saw the news tonite, the two nurses were charged w/involuntary manslaughter!!!!! They have been fired from the hospital, of course. Per the story, the two nurses admitted that they gave the med without the order. Poor things, they are clearly in the wrong, and won't get one iota of support from the hospital, since they did not act according to policy. (like they would get any support anyway) Next time a doc gives me grief about writing an order, now I can say: "Hey you're not worth going to jail for"

Noney · Sep 20, 2003

OK I got this from the NBC site. It doesn't tell alot.

Noney

Nurses Charged With Involuntary Manslaughter

Patient Allegedly Given Drugs Without Doctor's Order

POSTED: 3:19 p.m. PDT September 19, 2003

UPDATED: 3:50 p.m. PDT September 19, 2003

LOS ANGELES -- Two nurses were charged with involuntary manslaughter for the death of an 80-year-old terminally ill cancer patient who allegedly was given a sedative without a doctor's order, Burbank, Calif., police said Friday.

Kelly Miyasato, 31, of Redondo Beach and Amy Brunner, 25, of Alhambra are charged with one felony count of involuntary manslaughter and practicing medicine without certification, according to a criminal complaint filed by the district attorney's office.

The charges stem from the June 7 death of Pierre Azar of Burbank, who died shortly after an attending nurse gave the patient a sedative to calm him, according to Burbank police.

At the time, Azar was hospitalized in the intensive care unit at St. Joseph's Medical Center in Burbank, according to police.

Burbank police Sgt. William Berry said the nurses, "administered a sedative to make him more comfortable. But this was a particular type of sedative that required a doctor's approval. And it was administered without the approval, and the patient expired shortly thereafter...Basically, (the nurses were) trying to do the right thing, but they did it the wrong way."

Brian Greene spoke on behalf of the hospital.

"We're very sorry, obviously. We extend our deepest condolences to the family," he said.

The hospital staff "acted immediately and conducted an investigation to determine exactly what happened so that this never happens at our hospital again," Greene said.

The two nurses, initially suspended, are "no longer employees here," Greene added.

Brunner is scheduled to be arraigned Oct. 16 in Burbank Superior Court, and Miysato's arraignment is set for the next day, said Sandi Gibbons of the District Attorney's Office.

The two were not required to post bail before being released pending trial, Burbank police said.

numpty · Sep 20, 2003

Well there you go... good intentions but now they will regret that for the rest of there lives..... all for the sake of a phone call and a potentially grumpy doctors order.

sjoe · Sep 20, 2003

"...won't get one iota of support from the hospital, since they did not act according to policy. (like they would get any support anyway)"

A good and timely reminder to renew your malpractice insurance if you have it and to get it if you don't.

chase · Sep 20, 2003

The Two Nurses did not follow the Nurse Practice Act, they were acting outside the scope of their practice. If they were RN's they ought to know better. Nurses who work in facilities where the Physicians do not which to be called at night need to protect their License by demanding that the hospital Administrator address this issue because the bottom line is that you will be left between a rock and a hard place.

Rapheal · Sep 20, 2003

Another reason I haven't followed the advice to give a med and "get the order later". What were they thinking?