Radonda Vaught Fatal Error Case Timeline

Nurses General Nursing

Updated:   Published

Radonda's trial is supposed to start this month. This article in the Tennessean really does a good job of laying out the timeline.

Amazing that Vanderbilt escaped any consequences for what amounts to a criminal coverup. It seems that hospital executives are untouchable in our society.

The RaDonda Vaught case is confusing. This timeline will help.

Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.
2 hours ago, rockchickrn said:

Has anyone here ever made a med error? I must admit that I don’t know the particulars in this case. However I feel it’s a bit of a frightening precedent....

There are med errors and there is reckless homicide.

5 Votes
Specializes in Peds, Med-Surg, Disaster Nsg, Parish Nsg.

Here are links to previous articles/discussions about this case.

2 Votes
Specializes in Peds ED.
9 hours ago, Wuzzie said:

Search my profile for my posts on the case. You’ll find the CMS report, the TBI report as well as my point by point breakdown. This was most assuredly not a common med error. This particular nurse displayed a breathtaking lack of good judgement and adherence to even the most basic standards of nursing. Our previous threads also addressed the idea of precedent. It simply isn’t going to happen. Juan de la Cruz did some research on that.

Thank you! I tried to Google to find the CMS report but didn’t have any luck so I’ll chekc out your posts.

And I agree, even based on the limited info I do have on the case this seems like so much more than “just” a med error.

2 Votes
Specializes in Mental Health, Gerontology, Palliative.
15 hours ago, rockchickrn said:

Has anyone here ever made a med error? I must admit that I don’t know the particulars in this case. However I feel it’s a bit of a frightening precedent....

Yip.

Never resulted in harm to the patient however. And it certainly never left a patient fully conscious but unable to breath dying and being fully conscious of the fact

False comparison IMO

RV bypassed six or seven safety checks prior to comitting this 'med error '. Its not like she just grabbed the drug, administered it and then went "oh my goodness, I made a mistake"

1 Votes
Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.
3 hours ago, Tenebrae said:

Yip.

Never resulted in harm to the patient however. And it certainly never left a patient fully conscious but unable to breath dying and being fully conscious of the fact

False comparison IMO

RV bypassed six or seven safety checks prior to comitting this 'med error '. Its not like she just grabbed the drug, administered it and then went "oh my goodness, I made a mistake"

Exactly. Even if it was a typical routine human error “med error” that resulted in harm, I don’t compare that to the homicide of Mrs. Murphey...

Not sure if you’re aware of the death of Kim Hiatt (you’re in Australia if I’m not mistaken?) but she made a calculation error with some calcium ?gluconate which resulted in the overdose and death of a baby in the PICU. She wasn’t criminally prosecuted but was fired, and was so distraught she committed suicide.

Based on what I know of that case, I don’t think I would have indicted her. It was an arithmetic/algebra mistake in an urgent situation, and the baby’s little body was compromised to begin with. (I believe she had some CHD things and sick enough to be in a PICU.). She immediately realized what happened and reported her mistake, and clearly felt tremendous personal responsibility.

RV bypassed multiple safety checks including 1st semester nursing school “five rights.” She didn’t miscalculate the dose of an ordered medication; she gave a med which can never EVER be given without mechanical ventilation. No matter how physically healthy a person is, there are exactly zero people who can tolerate a paralyzed diaphragm. Then she left that patient unmonitored. Had she stayed after what she believed was pushing Versed, she would have seen that she was desatting and could have started bagging immediately, and could have saved that poor woman.

I’ll say it again, she was reckless which caused Mrs Murphey’s death... reckless homicide is criminal; why should she NOT be charged criminally? She doesn’t get to commit reckless homicide and face no charges, if anyone else would face charges. If anything as an RN I think she should be held to a higher standard...

but definitely not a LOWER standard because well she’s a nurse and nurses are human and who hasn’t made a med error and who orders Versed for a scan anyway and hospitals will always throw the nurse under the bus and this could set a scary precedent and oh the humanity........

6 Votes

CMS report is downloadable from this article.

https://hospitalwatchdog.org/vanderbilt-med-center-cover-up/

TBI report downloadable from this article

https://www.newschannel5.com/news/tbi-report-on-nurse-killing-patient-vaught-admitted-she-f-up

The thread on the legal perspectives of the case will also provide some clarification. The attorney’s position differed greatly from the membership here but, unfortunately, she never responded to our counter-arguments.

3 Votes
Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

She had her license revoked today. 

6 Votes
Specializes in ER.
32 minutes ago, Pixie.RN said:

She had her license revoked today. 

Thanks for the update. 

Specializes in Pediatrics, Pediatric Float, PICU, NICU.
32 minutes ago, Pixie.RN said:

She had her license revoked today. 

Thank you for the update! I meant to Google for an update in this randomly the other week but forgot.

Specializes in Community Health, Med/Surg, ICU Stepdown.

I forgot about this case until I saw this thread. I feel so bad for everyone involved. The patient died in such a horrible way and now her family has to repeatedly hear about the details. And I have lost sleep over giving 2 doses of Tylenol too close together, so I can't imagine how it would feel to make an error that caused a patient's death. 

I see a lot of passion on both sides of the issue. I am curious why people feel this case deserves an accusation of homicide rather than medical malpractice. There are many patients who die due to medical errors, but no other medical provider has been charged with homicide (that I know of). I don't feel qualified to comment because I don't know much about legal issues, but I am curious about the difference. 

Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.
5 hours ago, LibraNurse27 said:

I forgot about this case until I saw this thread. I feel so bad for everyone involved. The patient died in such a horrible way and now her family has to repeatedly hear about the details. And I have lost sleep over giving 2 doses of Tylenol too close together, so I can't imagine how it would feel to make an error that caused a patient's death. 

I see a lot of passion on both sides of the issue. I am curious why people feel this case deserves an accusation of homicide rather than medical malpractice. There are many patients who die due to medical errors, but no other medical provider has been charged with homicide (that I know of). I don't feel qualified to comment because I don't know much about legal issues, but I am curious about the difference. 

It would depend how the laws are written in Tennessee.  The BON initially investigated and blew it off, even though the situation involved egregious recklessness.  I believe that's why the DA had to get involved; someone has to protect the public.

You might want to research whether medical malpractice is a criminal or civil matter in Tennessee.  Then it would depend on the family suing vs the DA pressing charges.

If you read through ALL the information, you should see we're not talking about a med error.  A homicide charge doesn"t mean Mrs. Murphey was killed intentionally; that would have risen to a murder charge.

2 Votes
7 hours ago, LibraNurse27 said:

I am curious why people feel this case deserves an accusation of homicide rather than medical malpractice. 

Holy Moly Libra were you not on this site when the whole thing went down?! ?It was a circus. Look up the threads (especially the one started by the lawyer?) and you’ll see the entire event dissected. It will definitely help you understand but you’re gonna need a snack. The threads are pages and pages long. 

3 Votes
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