Nurses Call the Governor of Tennessee

Emergent, RN · Feb 11, 2019

19 minutes ago, Asystole RN said:
"... This often times places them at odds with the common nurse."

I think you meant to say 'with commonsense'.

HomeBound · Feb 11, 2019

2 hours ago, juan de la cruz said:
That’s a perfect statement Nurse Beth...but based on what we know about the case, what were the system failures that shaped the way Nurse RV behaved that fateful day? How much weight do these failures carry against the burden of this nurse’s act of carelessness? Really just wondering out of curiosity in knowing people’s opinion.
I’ve tried to be very objective around this case and really, the only reason I can come up with as to why I don’t want her to face criminal trial is out of solidarity for the profession, personal bias at past decisions of our legal system, and the fact that the BON is perfectly tasked to handle the case.

I ❤️ this statement a million times. IT'S HONEST.

"...the only reason I can come up with as to why I don't want her to face criminal trial is out of solidarity for the profession..."

I can respect this. Unfortunately, I've had a family member and a friend at separated times, tangle with the the BON and the criminal justice system.

The BONs...well, I have my doubts about them. Read any story in the "recovery" forum, and you'll see why I am terrified (and that is NOT too strong a word)--to even have a glass of wine at dinner, where I am driving home. I won't take a percocet that I was prescribed for a broken ankle for my bachache--even if it will get me thru the shift. I am terrified of them. My pal was accused of diversion because of horrible, horrible lack of orientation to a new EHR as a traveler at a completely CRAP hospital full of nothing but travelers and nasty RNMgrs with chips on their shoulders---who made the accusation 3 months after my friend left. I have a love/hate relationship with the BON.

My family member--I was emotional, sad, begging for leniency because hey---this is someone I care about. It also embarrassed my family, broke my mother's heart and split people up over the subject of the crime.

Emotion has no place in the law. "Solidarity" for a profession is pulling together to make change happen, as in a union.

I saw that pulling together, "circling the wagons" for my family member didn't help them. It helped the rest of the family.

And yes, before MtnRN chimes in, I would absolutely, 100%, every day, all the time---be willing to self report and take my punishment for doing something on the line of what ReDonda Vaught did. I've self reported a stupid 1 step difference in an insulin drip THAT ACTUALLY HELPED THE PATIENT. I'm all okay with taking responsibility for what I do---it's called adulting. And it's frickin' hard. And scary. And I screw up. I read the chart wrong on the insulin drip because the instructions are very convoluted, I interpreted them myself---without asking for help on any doubts I had---and I titrated the drip DOWN instead of keeping it the same. I caught it when I went to do the calculation the next hour---and I literally---and I mean LITERALLY called every single person in authority. Charge RN, resource nurse, Asst RN Mgr---stopped what I was doing, sat down at the computer and wrote up an incident report...

you know the reaction I got? blank stares. they could not understand why I was upset and almost puking. I HELPED the patient. He should actually have been off the infusion.

I'm terrified of insulin drips. Rightfully so. If you aren't afraid of things like nor-epi, insulin, dopamine, versed, fentanyl---you aren't paying attention and should never even handle these substances. Even blood products. I double and triple check. I watch people smirk and roll their eyes when I debate an expiration discrepancy on a blood product.

I'm a-okay with that. I will be able to defend myself if I mess up, because i will be the first to admit it.

RaDonda Vaught not only didn't admit it to a self reporting system, she colluded with Vandy to allow her to skip off to another employer, non the wiser. Now she's sorry, after she's been caught and financial/personal/professional consequences are being leveled.

JadedCPN, BSN, RN · Feb 11, 2019

1 hour ago, HomeBound said:
ad hominem attacks are for those who cannot or will not see the logic behind decisions that are made. shouting down the opposition is a tactic for those who cannot make their case logically, with method and evidence.
i've said it ad nauseum (**cough Wuzzie! cough**)....emotion has NO PLACE IN THE LAW.
Crying at the sentencing hearing, and support statements by families of murderers and rapists happen all the time. "If not for when he was bounced on his head as a baby, this would not have happened, please have mercy" or "if she had not grown up in poverty, she would not have chosen to rob that bank and pistol whip the teller, please forgive her and be lenient! she doesn't belong in a jail cell!"
Happens all the time.
What I think is happening, is that people seem to believe, for some reason, that by being a Nurse or a Doctor or a Priest or some other respected, trusted profession---that confers upon you good judgement, good character, trustworthy actions as well as intentions.
The truth is, every single profession has it's share of dishonest, morally bankrupt, sociopathic, and otherwise distasteful and dishonorable people. It just so happens that this time---it's a nurse and what happens to HER, will effect the way that the populace and employers see us.
I'm fine defending myself and my actions, because I know I am a conscientious nurse and try every day to deny the baser impulses that any one of us could feel---I don't want to answer that call light, the pt is an orifice. I don't want to pass meds in that room because she stinks and has c.diff and maybe the plague, i'll just scan those meds and throw them away. I have an addiction problem and I feel that pt X doesn't really need all of that pain medication, some for me, some for him.
Just because you all haven't HEARD about nurses killing patients because of negligence, doesn't mean it doesn't happen.
LOOK AT THIS CASE. Ms. Vaught was turfed to a different hospital---and no one was to be the wiser. SHE HAD NO PROBLEM WITH THIS. None. Zippo.
I would be a friggin' basket case. A literal, puddle of mushy goo that would be hosed off the sidewalk. I would not be able to function after doing what she did.
She walked off, with a recommendation from Vandy---and picked right up at another ICU. Didn't blink an eye. Did she self report to the TBON? Nope.
She not only broke all of the basic nursing rules and killed someone, she broke the rules that we all sign up for---the thing that MAKES US NURSES and the most trusted profession in the world----she lied and obfuscated her culpability for this "med error" to the TBON, which, is in place to protect the public FROM NURSES LIKE HER.
She's a human being, and she is just as eligible as the plumber and the accountant and the CEO and the dog walker down the street is---to have serious personality disorders or criminal tendencies or what have you.
You guys who are defending her---you don't know her. You simply cannot defend someone's "intent" when you've never met them.
You're defending her because of the effect that her conviction will have on YOU. That's not a defense. That's not what the law is set up to do. Each crime, as it should be, is considered on an individual basis, with the surrounding circumstances in play.
YOU DO NOT KNOW RADONDA VAUGHT. You have no idea what kind of person she is, what her criminal record might be (you do know you can be a nurse with a criminal record, right?).
The grand jury indicted her based on what information they were provided. You don't have that. There is one legal eagle here who has weighed in---and her argument is much like others---
"But what about US? If she's held responsible, what does that mean for ME??"
That should not be the question, and thankfully, the legal systems sees it that way too---the law is blind. Present evidence, apply the law---gray areas exist and yes, there are "always" extenuating circumstances---everybody's sorry when they get caught.
Redonda Vaught was not sorry, by her actions of skipping off to Centennial without a backwards glance or a self report to the TBON (because she KNEW she would face repercussions. Why do it, if Vandy would be in collusion with her to cover up her crime?)
THAT speaks volumes as to her character.
As to her ACTIONS....well, those speak for themselves.

Wow. This is raw, honest, direct, and truthful. One of those truths that we don't want to hear but need to hear. Love this a million times.

klone, MSN, RN · Feb 12, 2019

4 hours ago, juan de la cruz said:
That’s a perfect statement Nurse Beth...but based on what we know about the case, what were the system failures that shaped the way Nurse RV behaved that fateful day? How much weight do these failures carry against the burden of this nurse’s act of carelessness? Really just wondering out of curiosity in knowing people’s opinion.

For starters, putting a nurse with only a couple years of experience in the role as "resource nurse."

Susie2310 · Feb 12, 2019

4 hours ago, juan de la cruz said:
I’ve tried to be very objective around this case and really, the only reason I can come up with as to why I don’t want her to face criminal trial is out of solidarity for the profession, personal bias at past decisions of our legal system, and the fact that the BON is perfectly tasked to handle the case.

I don't understand feelings of solidarity for the profession when licensed professionals are charged with a criminal offense after an investigation has taken place. I understand this as feelings of self interest; nurses obviously are concerned about the implications for their own practices and for the health care industry. Much time and resources go into the investigation before cases come to trial, and while the BON is able to handle cases from the point of view of disciplining or revoking a nurse's license I believe this is beside the point. Some situations justify criminal charges. This is necessary in order to protect the general public who have the right to be protected from practitioners whose practice when below the standard of care causes or contributes to patient injuries or deaths.

Jory, MSN, APRN, CNM · Feb 12, 2019

7 hours ago, Jerry Hamm said:
I have started a petition on change.org and I am currently writing letters to the Davidson County DA, the Western Tennessee DA, the State Attorney General, etc.
Please check out the petition and let's get it out to the public. This is a scary situation for all of us!
https://www.change.org/p/glenn-funk-vacate-grand-jury-indictment-of-radonda-leanne-vaught-former-registered-nurse
Jerry Hamm, FNP

It's not scary unless you are bypassing multiple safety measures....are you? You would be hard pressed to get the general public on board with that.

I'll tell who it is really scary for. Patients.

Jory, MSN, APRN, CNM · Feb 12, 2019

2 hours ago, juan de la cruz said:
To those who are supportive of Nurse Vaught, she has a gofundme page. Her statement is remarkable in its honesty given the limits of what she can divulge:
https://www.gofundme.com/radonda-vaught?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=fb_dn_cpgnstaticsmall_r

So you want to donate money because she had complete disregard for the safety of her patients on SEVEN BYPASSED checkpoints?

OMG....this is the problem with the world.

Workitinurfava, BSN, RN · Feb 12, 2019

This wasn't deliberate, so she doesn't deserve the homicide charge.

HomeBound · Feb 12, 2019

5 minutes ago, Jory said:
It's not scary unless you are bypassing multiple safety measures....are you? You would be hard pressed to get the general public on board with that.
I'll tell who it is really scary for. Patients.

Did you read the verbiage in this petition?

"allegedly"? There isn't any "allegedly" about it. SHE ADMITS IT.

FCS....geezus Jerry....

Wuzzie · Feb 12, 2019

4 minutes ago, Jory said:
It's not scary unless you are bypassing multiple safety measures....are you? You would be hard pressed to get the general public on board with that.
I'll tell who it is really scary for. Patients.

It would be very interesting to be in the courtroom and hear her explanation for her actions.

HomeBound · Feb 12, 2019

9 minutes ago, Workitinurfava said:
This wasn't deliberate, so she doesn't deserve the homicide charge.

So if I commit a crime, like accidentally running over someone, at night on my way to get Cheetos at the 7-11, because I have bad night vision....I don't deserve to be charged with involuntary manslaughter or reckless homicide because I didn't MEAN to do it? (but I know I have bad night vision, and I chose to drive at night, to do something that could have waited until the next day)

She's being charged with reckless homicide. Unintentional result from a reckless act.

TriciaJ, RN · Feb 12, 2019

10 minutes ago, Workitinurfava said:
This wasn't deliberate, so she doesn't deserve the homicide charge.

Check out the Tennessee statutes regarding homicide.