Full Statement from Cedars-Sinai

16. Love to read the comments here. I too have been a nurse for 16 years...These types of mistakes happen...they are terrible to the family and the staff. It is never our intention to hurt anyone. Glad it has worked out and seems that the twins will make a full recovery.

as for the call bell....let's face it, they are an important safety feature. But to all you nurses on here...I hate it when the little old ladies ring it because they are lonely. That's a waste of time. I agree..families should be more involved..some are...get them water,wash thier backs even. I think what people need to realize is I don't just advocate for you....I have 6 or 8 other patients to worry about...your hemrriods don't really concern me at the moment when I have 3 people dying down the hall of cancer and they are palliative. That drives me crazy...you wonder why It's taking me so long to answer a call bell....maybe I am grieving with a widow who has just lost her spouse of 60 years....the pillow fluffing will have to wait......sorry.

We are held accountable....we all pay are dues,maintain our license and re-educate annually. But....in the end we are human,thank goodness this error didn't end in a death. I would imagine this nurse will possibly loose her job.

no one wins here. Thanks for reading......to all you great nurses out there...have a great shift. :)

Posted at 8:27AM on Nov 21st 2007 by sandra

17. I am an RN and have been for 13 years. I no longer will work in a hospital. I prefer to work in -outpatient settings because of the BS that goes on in the hospitals. Nurse-patient ratios are too high in most hospitals and most hospitals have gone to primary nursing. Primary nursing, for those readers who aren't familiar, is where one nurse is responsible for every need that all of his/her patients might have. That nurse admits/discharges patients along with all of the necessary paperwork (which must be RIGHT or you create liability for the hospital as well as yourself...God forbid you leave out an allergy and the patient experiences a reaction to something...so it takes time for the paperwork) passes all the medications (which are spread all throughout the day), do all the dressing changes, starts all the IV's, draws many of the labs, performs the 12 lead EKG's, inserts/discontinues foleys, changes medication tubings, mixes his/her own drips, and in the evenings or weekends or just when short staffed (which is always) does physical therapy (which is usually walking the patients in the hallway) and the CNA jobs of making fresh beds and giving sponge baths to the patients, because half the time you don't even have a CNA to take vitals, do blood sugar checks, change beds, give baths and fill water pitchers. In between getting pain medicine, bringing/taking out patient trays, helping them into chairs, getting extra pillows and refilling water pitchers. Add to this the patients who need blood, which requires trips to the lab, calling doctors, charting on every patient and continually assessing patients with frequent checks just transferred from other units. In one hospital I was told that the RN's would start doing the respiratory treatments also so that the hospital could save money. Keep in mind that there is a severe nursing shortage so you could be assigned 8 or 9 patients on a day shift and up to 15 on a night shift. Not only am I morally and ethically responsible for these patients, I am also legally responsible. Unlike the CNA's, etc., I can actually, just like a doctor, be sued for malpractice. So you better believe I prioritize care. Charting (to protect myself and the hospital) comes before getting you a glass of water. Hospitals have lost nurses because we are not super heroes and mistakes will always happen because a) we are human, just like you and b) we are asked to do too many things all at the same time, which is NOW. Unlike you who are not nurses, when you maybe make a mistake by not paying a bill on time or maybe enter a number wrong in a data sheet at your work, our profession deals with people's lives so, yes, the repercussions can be far more serious and lasting. But until things change in the hospitals things will only get worse and nurses will stay away. All you will be left with is new grads eventually. The whole healthcare system is to blame as well as for-profit mentality. When that changes and shareholders don't dictate the bottom line of the hospitals, maybe the hospital administrators will be free to staff the hospitals how they really should be staffed.
Thank you.

Posted at 8:50AM on Nov 21st 2007 by Kat

18. Let's think about this logically, the staff tat he hospital do not plan to cause harm to any patient. While it is not comfortable to discuss, the cause of these errors goes beyond "a nurse picking up the wrong vial." Where was the vial? Was it in the wrong location? Who put it there? Why did they put it there? Why did the nurse not perform checks required? People need to give the hospital a chance to conduct the investigations. These errors will never be preventable in the future if we rush to judge those involved. Health care professionals need to be able to discuss what happened, if we attack those involved, the truth is less likely to ever be found.

Posted at 10:20AM on Nov 21st 2007 by My 2 Cents

19. My experience with nurses comes form the 6 days my son spent in the hospital this summer recovering from a serious virus. While I appreciate the work nurses do, it seemed to me that their major function was taking vital signs and giving medication at the required intervals. Everything else, you have to ask for or it will not be provided. Therefore, they should be able to get it right and not just reach for a medication without reading what it is they have grabbed off a shelf and then administer it and use the excuse that they were distracted by people talking to them and asking questions. What is the excuse for leaving an IV in a persons arm for more than 3 days and giving them phlebitis as a result? That's what happened to my son and when hot compresses were prescribed by the doctor, they gave him this hard, portable paper heat bag that got mildly warm for about 5 minutes. Upon giving him the bag the nurse said, "it's the last one I have so make it last". I managed to scrounge around the room and found some super strong paper towels that I wet with hot water in the bathroom and gave that to my son to relieve the pain of the condition they caused, yet were unable to properly treat. It's a disgrace.

Posted at 8:51AM on Nov 21st 2007 by PR

20. Careful Lori, your disdain for patients ("your little jokes are a waste of our valuable time")is showing. You might be happier doing something else.

Posted at 9:00AM on Nov 21st 2007 by Phil

21. In response to Lori...
I work in healthcare for a hospital at an outpatient rehab facility, although I am not a nurse. I understand where you are coming from, but patients come first. No patient or family member should be considered an interruption. The reason patient's family members interrupt you is beacuse nurses are NOTORIOUS for not answering call lights in a timely fashion, they are usually too busy talking amongst themselves. Nurses may be overworked, but they are paid good money and should know what they are getting into when they go into that profession. I have met some pretty incompetent nurses, and I seriously wonder how they ever made it through school. It is pretty scary when an RN can't read an EKG, but yet I am not a nurse, and I am extremely competent in EKG's. I hope I am never in a situation where I am hooked up to an EKG monitor with a nurse like that.

Posted at 9:29AM on Nov 21st 2007 by DMG :-)

22. Kat,
Nursing or health care is not the only profession that deals with life or death. And their problems are not unique. There is not a job that I can think of that does not put the bottom line first and their employees and customers suffer for it. I have had very good experiences with the nurses at my local hospital. I have sent thank you notes to them and the hospital administrator for their attention to patient care and needs. I believe that as in most things, people are overwhelmed and need to stop multi-tasking. Don't get me wrong I one of the biggest multi-taskers going. I too have a job that effects people's lives (and deaths), and not being perfect myself, I have learned to prioritize as well as TRYING to remember that for the individuals I'm dealing with at the time, their problem is not routine to them. They don't understand that this is the tenth time you've stopped what you were doing to help a patient and that your other activity needs your undivided attention. It's hard in every profession to not become detached and react in certain ways. That is the sign of a true professional who cares. That is the experiences I have luckily had with nurses and I have the utmost respect for them. So all I'm saying is stop and pay attention to what your doing at the moment because people's lives do rest in our hands. And not only is that life lost or effected but so is thier families and yours.

Posted at 10:53AM on Nov 21st 2007 by Penny

23. Only the nurses keepinng bringing up the water issue but to comment on that I have had several family members in the hospital and have asked where to get ice,juice etc. for the patient and was told that I wasn't allowed to get it.
And when we are admitted to the hospital we are paying for 24 hour care why should a family member have to do the job that someone there is getting paid to do.
as for Lori you sound as if you have a bad attitude and you would never be my nurse.

Posted at 9:33AM on Nov 21st 2007 by ha

24. Yes, I agree with some....I think Lori suffers from burn-out. The stress that goes on in hospitals will lead to apathy and then burn-out. "Accidents" in hospitals happen all of the t ime...and, believe me, it starts with the Drs. There is such STRESS put on nurses.. As a nurse I have also seen it all. It is so much easier when a pharmacist draws up the medication and unit doses it in the patients bin.. The pharmacist works in a much calmer enviroment, then not only does it save time but now 2 people are checking the medication. Considering primary care nursing, I have never been able to give quality care to more than 6 clients and I know that it is much more in some hospitals.. My hats off to nurses.... They get it from every where and keep on going..

Posted at 12:28PM on Nov 21st 2007 by Patty

25. Yeah for the post by Lori! I could not agree more.Nurses are not your personal waitress. Thank GOD for nurses like Lori!

Posted at 10:05AM on Nov 21st 2007 by Joyce Popp

26. My father was in a prestigious hospital for heart surgery. Two days after the surgery, he had a significant reason to contact the nurses upon waking at 6am. He rang the call button. No one came. 30 minutes later, he rang again. No one came. He called his fiance to tell her what the problem was and she called the head nurse at the hospital, who said someone would be in there immediately to remediate the problem. No one showed up. It wasn't until 8am when a nurse's aide came in to give him breakfast that ANYONE came into his room. They never had more than 3 nurses, registered or otherwise, working an entire medical floor. From that moment on, a family member stayed with my dad. Of course, he later found out by accident the fastest way to get someone in there was to pull off one of his electrical leads, which caused the monitors to alarm. It is sad to think it would come to that just to get a nurse in his room. He/We NEVER contacted a nurse for something as minor as a glass of water or a pillow. We did everything non-medical for my dad. I realize there are a lot of high-maintenance patients in hospitals, but that's no excuse for ignoring a call button or not reading the labels on medication prior to administering.

Posted at 12:06PM on Nov 21st 2007 by Tami

27. This is a terrible tragedy. With a full investigation ,I am sure it will be discovered a breakdown in the system somewhere. Could the heparin have been stored in the wrong drawer of the computerized system?Which is controlled by the pharmacy. Was the heparin in pre-filled syringes and not filled properly by pharmacy? Regardless, it is every nurses responsibility to READ the orders.Right dose, Right patient, Right route, Right medicine, Right time. Most hospitals now have a scanning system for medications.Barcodes are placed on medications. A patients medication profile is placed in a computer data base.(Yes, by a human)The nurse on duty has a small scanner she carries each shift with his/her I.D. stored in it. EACH and every medication is scanned before being given, IF it is the wrong medication, Wrong Patient, Wrong time,Wrong dose, the scanner will alarm . ALERTING the nurse and patient and family member in the room to error of time, medication error, wrong patient, wrong dose. This takes place at the bedside,because, it is required to SCAN the patients I.D. band. A heparin solution flush should be handled the same way. Many of our medications are now being prefilled either by manufacturer or hospital pharmacy in an effort to reduce human error. Yes, there are certain times when the system can be overridden. But , that is normally due to timing. For instance , pain managemant medications can be given 15 minutes earlier than ordered if patient is in pain . Each hospital has their own particular practices ,but, Joint Commission must approve. No, this is not a time saving issue. This is a safety issue. I think most nurses really do want what is best for their patients. But, with continued cuts in staffing(yes, we are a liability to hospitals) because the easiest place to reduce budgets is with cutting staff hours. This includes ALL departments in the hospital. So, not only are we your nurse, we are your housekeepers(emptying your trash and making an attemp to clean up after your family members )your materials managers(searching for out of stock supplies), your security( breaking up and calming down family issues during a birth of a child or death of a family member)your pharmacist ( no pharmacist after 11 pm) your social worker(your husband /boyfriend beat you to a pulp in the middle of the night and I am doing my damndest to get you help) your physical therapist ( yes, you are going to get up and walk after surgery. I do not want you to die from a blood clot) your dietary assistant ( no, you can not have 5 cups of ice cream ,remember you are a diabetic)your nursing assistant ( yes, I am going to come in all hours of the day and night and get your blood pressure and check on you and make sure you have water and ice and linens and towels) your unit secretary ( hang on just a minute....let me get this stat order in for these cardiac enzymes and blood gases.Because nothing can function unless it is in the computer FIRST. Verbal requests are disregarded. Oh, by the way, my patient is about to code.) Jesus, please don't let my patient die before the doctor calls me back. But, God willing , I am going to keep coming to work ,because this is what I was meant to do. All I ask is for God to watch over me, guide me, give me patience, let me have less than 8-9 patients, and give each patient the best care possible.

Posted at 10:40AM on Nov 21st 2007 by Justanurse4now

28. I'm a registered nurse also, and I make sure that when I go to the hospital for any procedure, that I take a competent family member with me during my stay.Most hospital staff are lacking in plain common sense and compassion...I've seen it too many times in my career as a nurse! During my hospitaliztion this past January, I had a nurse try to give me IV antibiotics through an infiltrated IV site despite my protests, and another push meds through a clotted IV! I'm lucky I didn't die!
Cedars-Sinai needs to change their IV flush protocol from heparin to saline, and the person administering the medication needs to remember to check the vial before administering the meds. Plain common sense!
My prayers go out to The Quaid family ......to watch your babies compromised and struggling at birth is one thing, having them harmed while under the care of professionals is unbelievable!

Posted at 8:41PM on Nov 21st 2007 by TOPAZ1126

29. I've worked in hospitals as an RN for 28 years. We are suppose to help not hurt. Unfortunately It's easy to make mistakes because there is so much going on all the time. It's very chaotic and seems to be getting worse esp with the nursing shortage. Yes it's smart to ask questions as a patient advocate. I can understand families/patients being scared and asking alot of questions but I really have a hard time dealing with rude families. You people haven't seen anything yet with the comming of this nursing shortage.

Posted at 10:28AM on Nov 21st 2007 by H

30. OMG!!! Some of these comments scare me. I have been a nurse for 30 years. I have worked in ICU, Cancer Care and Emergency. I have considered it a privlidge to care for my patients. I have been the best nurse I could be. I have treated each patient as if they were one of my family members. I have never considered it an interuption to fluff a pillow or get a glass of water or hold a hand. I keep up on new protocols, am involved in learning new things. I have always loved nursing. However...nurse shortages, increasing patient loads, increasing responsibilities, insensitivity by administration to the needs of the staff, have made it a very difficult job. On top of that, some of the "anger" and lack of respect for nurses by the public, has increased the difficulty in doing the job.
That is why nurses that are didicated to caring for patients, are leaving the field and what you have now is new nurses that come into the field with a different attitude. They are there for the paycheck only. It is just a job. But there are still some of us left..that are good nurses, and we work hard to care for you, and we don't deserve your anger when you come thru the door and talk to us like we are morons before you know anything about us. When you come to the ER and I ask you questions, I am just doing my job. Don't respond with sarcasm and tell me to look it up in the computer. I am there to help you, to the best of my ability, and I am your advocate. So to all of you that think all nurses are lazy, uncaring, and unqualified.....walk in my shoes for a 12 hour shift. In the mean time...I will continue to do my best for you and your family...because I AM a nurse.

Posted at 10:50AM on Nov 21st 2007 by MARIE