Nurse's Ebola lawsuit could be landmark for patient safety

Ebola survivor's suit against Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas and parent company Texas Health Resources could be an important case


Dallas nurse Nina Pham's lawsuit against Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas and parent company Texas Health Resources could be an important case for patient safety, according to a commentary on the Forbes website.

Pham was infected with the Ebola virus after treating Thomas Eric Duncan, the Liberian national who died at Texas Health Presbyterian.

Pham’s alleges numerous lapses at the hospital, including the charge that prior to treating Duncan, she was only given basic information about Ebola from a Google search by her boss. 

The case also charges that nurses were not given clear protocols for wearing protective gear around Ebola patients or that they had to come up with a makeshift, dangerous method of disposing of contaminated garments and medical supplies.

"What I really hope comes out of this suit is a promise by Texas Health Resources to implement better processes for assuring patient safety and for holding staff and management alike accountable for their actions," the article said.

Read the article.

 

 



March 12, 2015


Topic Area: Industry News


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