Nurse: I Was Wrongfully Fired For Botched Transplant

Medical errors are a part of life at hospitals throughout the nation and in California. Many professionals lose their licenses and jobs because they are unable to maintain patient safety to the high standards set by government officials. Still, workers accused in such cases have rights, as they may not be fully culpable in the medical error that was committed. That is the case for one Ohio nurse who was fired after a botched kidney transplant in 2012.

The veteran nurse, who has 30 years’ experience in her field, was suspended after another nurse in the surgery theatre discarded a viable kidney as medical waste during a procedure. A subsequent investigation into the matter showed that the hospital’s systems were not at fault for that poor decision; rather, the junior nurse made an inexcusable mistake. She resigned weeks after the operation.

Official reports show that the veteran nurse was terminated using policies and procedures that had not been initiated at the time of the surgery. That is, she broke rules that were not yet enforceable.

The woman was working with the at-fault nurse on the day in question. When the junior nurse took a lunch break, she failed to log out of the computer properly, so the older woman was required to keep notes under that woman’s chart. The at-fault nurse failed to ask about the status of the operation when she returned from lunch, and she disposed of the viable kidney before anyone noticed. The veteran nurse was fired because she should have prevented the other woman from removing anything from the surgical area before the procedure was complete, among other alleged violations.

The woman in this case is seeking compensation for wrongful termination.

If you have been fired for someone else’s mistake under non-existent policies, consider seeking the assistance of a qualified employment attorney. These professionals can help you learn more about your rights and responsibilities, allowing you to get the compensation you need and deserve.

Source: www.foxnews.com, “Nurse sues for wrongful termination over botched kidney transplant” No author given, Aug. 04, 2013