Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
No Jail Time For Convicted Nurse
KHN: No Prison Time For Tennessee Nurse Convicted Of Fatal Drug Error
RaDonda Vaught, a former Tennessee nurse convicted of two felonies for a fatal drug error, whose trial became a rallying cry for nurses fearful of the criminalization of medical mistakes, will not be required to spend any time in prison. Davidson County criminal court Judge Jennifer Smith on Friday granted Vaught a judicial diversion, which means her conviction will be expunged if she completes a three-year probation. (Kelman, 5/13)
Modern Healthcare: RaDonda Vaught Sentencing Raises Alarms In Medical Community
The fear of prison time may the latest thing making healthcare workers wonder if they're better off in another line of work. Former Vanderbilt University Medical Center nurse RaDonda Vaught was sentenced to three years in prison but granted probation Friday for committing a medication error that killed a patient. In March, a jury convicted Vaught of negligent homicide and abusing an impaired adult when she accidentally administered the wrong drug to 75-year-old Charlene Murphey in 2017. On Friday, a judge in Nashville, Tennessee, handed down the sentence for those felonies. (Christ and Kacik, 5/13)
The New York Times: Ex-Nurse Convicted In Fatal Medication Error Gets Probation
The nurse, RaDonda Vaught, apologized to the relatives of the 75-year-old victim, Charlene Murphey, who was injected with a fatal dose of vecuronium, a paralyzing drug, instead of Versed, a sedative, while at Vanderbilt University Medical Center for a brain injury on Dec. 26, 2017, according to court papers. ... “Saying ‘I’m sorry’ doesn’t seem like enough,” Ms. Vaught, 38, who broke down in tears, told Ms. Murphey’s family at the sentencing. “But you deserve to hear that. You deserve to know that I am very sorry for what happened.” (Medina, 5/15)
