Her patient was already in some degree of rigor mortis when she got in the room. For what she said, she made rounds to take routine vital signs at 4 in the morning when she discovered that the patient is dead. The watcher didn't notice anything unusual and was asleep.
She told me that patient was feeling okay at midnight; normal v/s, conscious, coherent, even asked for a glass of water, no complaints.
Patient in mid 50's with Colon CA awaiting another round chemo.
The patient slept their way to death, as there was no evident signs of resistance or struggle but they say possible foul play is still being considered. Massive MI was noted as the cause of death.
Does my friend just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time? She swears there was no irregularities or any significant observations she can think of that might lead to the death of her patient. Her parents was seeking legal counsel.
I don't know what to say or how I can help. I just stayed with her the whole morning.
Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.
The thing that bothers me here is, rigor mortis doesn't generally set in until at least two hours postmortem.
A few months ago, a resident at my LTC was found in full rigor at 0700. The noc shift nurse said she'd been in there as recently as 0530, and the CNA claimed to have done last rounds in that room at 0600. Unfortunately, the roommate was not a credible witness---being both demented AND asleep at those times---and we'll probably never know the truth about that morning. But it sure makes one suspicious about the frequency of visual checks.........I hope for the OP's friend's sake that the autopsy findings exonerate her of any responsibility.
Specializes in Management, Emergency, Psych, Med Surg.
Perhaps I am just stupid and am not getting it here, but was this patient a full code? Were you to have resuscitated her? How long had she been in the hospital? Did she have any other underlying chronic illnesses? Who ordered an autopsy? Did the patient have a sitter in the room with her? Why and who assumes foul play? Am I missing something here? Is someone accusing your friend of doing harm to this patient or failing to check on her? Did the sitter go to sleep?
I round every hour on my patients, but I don't always go right up to them and see if they are breathing. If I notice they haven't changed position for a couple of hours I might, but otherwise, no. Some have tele, some need assistance to the bathroom or frequent repositioning...but then you have the youngish, up independently, give-me-a-sleeping-pill-I-want-to-sleep-all-night patient who doesn't want to be disturbed. I always tell my patients I hourly round so I don't startle them, but sometimes it's a huge disturbance. I have peeked in through the window on the door, or just stayed in the doorway before. Then I hear something like this, and think maybe I need to do more.
What's worse? Wake up my light sleepers every hour, totally disturbing their sleep and healing processes, or maybe in my lifetime have one walky-talky, independent patient who is found dead when I wake them for am vitals?
Specializes in psychiatric nursing, med/surg adult care.
The thing that bothers me here is, rigor mortis doesn't generally set in until at least two hours postmortem.
Patient was fine at midnight and was dead by 0400. My friend said the neck was already stiff as well as the fingers when she discovered that her patient was unresponsive. It was cold inside the room and I am not sure if the room temp is a factor that affects rigor mortis.
Specializes in psychiatric nursing, med/surg adult care.
Perhaps I am just stupid and am not getting it here, but was this patient a full code? Were you to have resuscitated her? How long had she been in the hospital? Did she have any other underlying chronic illnesses? Who ordered an autopsy? Did the patient have a sitter in the room with her? Why and who assumes foul play? Am I missing something here? Is someone accusing your friend of doing harm to this patient or failing to check on her? Did the sitter go to sleep?
Cardiac compression was initially done but as far as I know they didn't do much as the patient was obviously been dead hours before they arrived.
There was a watcher who was asleep the whole time.
My friend and others who were on-duty are said to have failed on checking the patient outside the routine q4 v/s rounds according to the committee who handles the case.
Some info's are not to be posted according to an AN staff for confidentiality reasons.
VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN
22 Articles; 9,996 Posts
The thing that bothers me here is, rigor mortis doesn't generally set in until at least two hours postmortem.
A few months ago, a resident at my LTC was found in full rigor at 0700. The noc shift nurse said she'd been in there as recently as 0530, and the CNA claimed to have done last rounds in that room at 0600. Unfortunately, the roommate was not a credible witness---being both demented AND asleep at those times---and we'll probably never know the truth about that morning. But it sure makes one suspicious about the frequency of visual checks.........I hope for the OP's friend's sake that the autopsy findings exonerate her of any responsibility.