Transplant recipient declared brain dead

[PamOKW]

I'm not sure what the discussion about organ donation from Jesica came from. However, her poor little body was pretty shot and I don't think there was much that was usable except possibly things like skin or corneas. However, having had their daughter cut open and organs taken in and out twice recently, I can see where her family would like her just to rest in peace at this point. I don't know about replanting the heart and lungs again. It seems like it would put some other child at a high risk.

I'm puzzled how this happened since I know that our hospital has two nurses carefully check each bag of blood and each patient's ID before an transfusion is started. It's not even just one person. Seems like there must have been a "checks & balance" step that was skipped at Duke. Although, I seem to remember hearing they knew the organs were wrong in the operating room but had no choice since they had already moved Jesica's heart & lungs.

 

[nativetxn]

God bless that girl. This is just so sad and so unneccessary

 

[bobcat]

I have to say I was floored that this mistake was made. Through personal experience I know how many checks and rechecks happen before the transplant and frankly someone dropped the ball. If I was her family I would be pissed and I think thy have the right. Heck I'm not her family and I am furious that this happened. There are too amny people waiting for transplants and too few organs available. People are reluctant to donate as it is but when this type of a mistake happens it hurts many potential recipients.

 

[SuiteDisney]

Sure, accidents happen and everyone makes mistakes. But I feel this was a lot closer to negligence than a simple mistake. Even non-medical people know that blood types have to match. It's the most basic requirement. That should have been checked and re-checked and cross-checked and then checked again. There's no excuse for that mixup.

 

[Liz]

This is so sad. The good that will come from this is that other transplant centers will most likely look at their procedures and make sure they have things in place that will prevent something like this from happening again.

Even though I am a strong advocate of organ donation I don't judge the family for not donating her organs. They have been through a horrible nightmare. I just think they felt enough was enough.

I heard somewhere, maybe it was the press conference the family held, that the hospital tried to cover up the mistake and didn't even admit it till a couple of weeks after the transplant. If they had done something sooner perhaps there would have been a different outcome? I don't know. Its just tragic.

 

[CarolAnnC]

This kind of "mistake" should never happen. With all the checks and balances in place, they still need more most obviously.

It brings to mind the Boston area story of a couple of years ago where a cancer patient went in to have a leg amputated and the surgical team removed the wrong leg. Sadly, the patient still had to have another operation to remove the other leg, resulting in no legs at all. Horrible horrible...

I pray for Jessica's soul and her loving family who must be devastated..

 

[Crissup]

Originally posted by Disney Doll
You know Cathy, as a nurse, the nasty tone of your post really p***** me off. Do you actually think for one minute that anyone did this on purpose???????????? Do you think for one minute that all of the people involved in this tragedy don't feel terrible????

Hmmm... I'm sure everyone does feel terrible. Drunk drivers usually feel terrible after they run over some 5 year old kid and kill them. Too bad, it still doesn't make it right!

Originally posted by Disney Doll
Well, I have news for you and everybody else...healthcare professionals are HUMAN and as HUMANS we make mistakes. Sometimes the mistakes have tragic consequences, as in this case. It is a tragedy, no one is denying that it is a tragedy, no one is trying not to take responsibility for the tragedy.

You seem to be trying awfully hard to justify this. While I normally take the understanding side and acknowledge that doctors are only human and subject to human error, you're ferocity here makes me wonder if you make mistakes like this often and are attempting to justify them. Guilty conscience maybe?

Originally posted by Disney Doll
I am sorry you think that the whole medical profesion sucks because of this one instance of a grave HUMAN error with tragic results.

Dang! I need to learn to read between the lines. Hard as I try, I still haven't found the part where Cathy posted that the entire medical profession sucks!

 

[Disney Doll]

The general tone of the posts here is that the medical profession sucks. Maybe you all want me to quote WHERE it says that, well I can't, because no one is directly saying that. But reread the posts people.Not much point in responding to any of you, as it seems that general consensus has been formed.

FYI Crissup, of course I've made errors. I've made them, owned up to them, and tried to rectify them to best of my ability. Thankfully, none of them have ever been of the magnitude of this tragedy, but every healthcare professional lives with that fear every day.

It's tough to do an impossible job for an ungrateful society, but luckily for you all, I'll still be there in the hospital when you arrive, and will take care of you with patience and a smile, regardless of the kind of crap you and your family throw at me.

Have a good day.

 

[Crissup]

Originally posted by Disney Doll
It's tough to do an impossible job for an ungrateful society, but luckily for you all, I'll still be there in the hospital when you arrive, and will take care of you with patience and a smile, regardless of the kind of crap you and your family throw at me.

Actually, it sounds like you have already formed a judgement before the patient ever arrives in the hospital. A judgement that the patient disrespects you and your profession. I don't believe you will be capable of doing your job without that attitude surfacing at some point.

I believe that society in general respects the medical community. I know I do. However, we get upset when we see a screw up of this magnitude. Even though they understand that this was the human side of the doctors showing through, they feel the need to vent. They hope that in the end, regardless of their venting, that the procedures that allowed this to happen will be reviewed and corrected so that it doesn't happen again.

I've heard some people blame the surgeons. However, I don't believe this is fair. It's not the surgeons job to run the test and verify the results. He must trust the people who assure him it is the correct match. The problem here, obviously, was the support personnel who screwed up.

 

[CathyCanada]

Once again, you ASSUMPTIONS are incorrect, Disney Doll. I have NEVER treated anyone in the medical profession with any kind of disrespect. I don't know what it is like in your neck of the woods, but here in Ontario, major cutbacks have led to cuts in staffing and in most cases, the people affected are the nurses, and they have my sympathy for being overworked and underpaid, and are on the frontline for people who complain about the cuts in service.

A surgery of this magnitude has to have fool-proof safeguards in place, and it didn't. I don't know who did it, but I hope that changes are made so that IT NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN!

Don't presume to speak for me again, I am quite capable of speaking for myself and I can actually say what I MEAN!

And you know what they say when you "assume"......
CC

 

[CarolAnnC]

I have seen countless truly caring and compassionate physicians, nurses and other health care professionals during my life. From the doctors who helped me to relearn language and speak again after my stroke, to the doctors who valiantly tried to save my husband's life as he lay dying.

Then there are the professionals dedicated to pediatrics who have helped my younger DD fight a rare and debilitating heart condition, to the doctors who will now be helping my other daughter fight for her eyesight due to a genetic disorder she is now showing symptoms of.

But it is clearly obvious that there are some medical professionals out there, who are either burnt out, incapable of providing appropriate care, and are no longer serving patients with the care they deserve.

Sabbaticals or a change in profession are sometimes the only fair thing to do in order to uphold the credibility of the health care professionals and also uphold the Hyppocratic Oath.

 

[Disney Doll]

Yes, crissup, the respect you have for the medical profession just oozes out of every word in your posts. And actually, I don't have pre-conceived judgements about my patients. The ones I refer to in my previous posts are the lovely folks I've already had the pleasure of caring for. And, to be perfectly honest, I've received several commendations for patient care and customer satisfaction in my 20 years of nursing, so much for YOUR judgement regarding me and my level of professionalism.

CC, I'll have to get my 9 year old niece to respond to you, since I'm really way beyond that childish "assume" thing. I think that most of the adults here are smart enough to realize that a post is made up of more than the words on the page, and tone and intent are part of what make up the total "message" of a post.

The messages here are quite clear, and quite frankly, becoming extraordinarily tiresome. We've gone way off the original thread, so I'll leave you guys to your preconceived notions and you leave me to mine.

Again, enjoy your day.

 

[Liz]

During my DD's recent long hospital stay, we had a few encounters with some mistakes.

One night when the nurse brought in her meds one pill looked different. I questioned it and said I didn't feel comfortable giving her that pill until they explained why it looked different from the one she had been getting every other night. This nurse had just come on her shift and we were going to have her all night. I was thinking "we're getting off to a great start by me questioning her about this" but she was GREAT. She said "I have no problem with someone questioning me about something because if it prevents me from making a mistake that could hurt somebody that is totally fine." She went to find out why the pill was different, came back and explained it and all was fine.

About a month later, same hospital stay, different nurse, DD's pills were brought and one of her pills looked very wrong. She's taken this practically her whole life so I know what it should look like. I questioned it and the nurse insisted it was right. I asked her to double check and she did. She came back and said it was right. When she left the room I threw the pills in a drawer and had DH bring some of our home meds so I could give her what I knew was right. I showed the pills in the drawer to the doctor, he checked it out and it was the incorrect medicine.

Just telling these two examples because the situations were similar but the attitudes of the nurses were totally different. I don't know what happened to the 2nd nurse but I know they had to write up an incident report.

 

[TeresaNJ]

Having been a nurse for many years working ER & ICU, I totally understand where Disney Doll is coming from. Is if because of what she speaks of that I have recently given up hands on nursing and have taken a job where I never have to touch a patient again. The general lack of understanding, ingratitude and callousness of the public for whom which we serve has taken a toll of me. The majority of those in the health care profession go to work every day with the thought of helping our patients. The workload, short staff and sue-mentality of the public make it harder and harder to do our job. Why is there such a nursing shortage? Who in their right mind would want a job where you are exposed to awful contagions every minute of every day, have to work on your feet for eight to twelve hours straight without even time to go to the bathroom, risk your health and your back when you have to move extremely obese or dead-weight patients with little or no help, have families tell you you're not doing enough when you are giving everything you have? No one! I tried for long enough, and now I've given up. My physical and mental health are important to me, and I intend to keep them.

In regards to Jesica, the transplant victim, how that mistake was made is beyond me. I just can't imagine how that could happen. Every hospital has more checks and balances than anyone could imagine. As far as her family donating the organs, I doubt that would have been a possibility, and really, considering the circumstances surrounding Jesica's death, I think the last thing they would be considering.

One other thing, I think part of what is fueling Disney Doll's anger is the comments being made in the press, especially by the construction contractor who headed Jesica's transplant funding
benefits. His comments make me cringe. So much of what he says is incorrect, inflammatory, and generally shows his ignorance and lack of medical knowledge.

The way things are today, I would never recommend someone become a healthcare professional unless they enjoy overwork, underpay, ridicule, contempt, and being threatened and sued.

 

[CathyCanada]

Well DD, the level of maturity you displayed when you start making accusations and assumptions as to what I really meant and not what I said, spoke volumes to me, so don't preach to me please.

You don't even know me, don't know anything about me, and have no right to make the assumptions that you did. If you don't like what I say, fine. Disagree with my comments, I have no problem with that. What I DO have a problem with is someone reading more into what I say than what is there. It ISN'T THERE AND I MEANT NOTHING ELSE!

I'm angry that this tragedy happened. More so because of the other children who could have benefited from those 4 "wasted" organs! We are not talking day surgery here. Hell, when I had Carpal Tunnel surgery, I was asked no less than 3 times, which arm was being operated on and while I started to worry that they didn't know it was to check and re-check. I would think that seeing if the organs are compatible would be the FIRST thing checked AND rechecked.

You have already formed an opinion of me and apparently you seem to be able to read my mind, but I have nothing left to say to you. I said what I said and nothing more. It might surprise you to find out that I actually say what I mean, I'm a straight shooter, I don't mess around.

CC

 

[WillyJ]

So let's see. . if I were too say the band "Great White" was irresponsible for setting off fireworks inside a small club like they did and I hoped nothing like that ever happens again, then I would be attacking and showing disrespect to every person in the music industry??


Give me a break. . . . .



People are commenting on this particular incident, which was inexcusable and indefensable. If anyone can defend this incident, then by all means, go for it. .

But to accuse anyone of attacking the whole medical profession, and to assign universial negative feelings to them based on "reading between the lines" of comments saying they are baffled and upset at this one isolated incident is absolutely ludicrous. . .

 

[SonjaB]

I have read this entire thread, all the actual lines. I tried reading between them, but the spacing is too small and my crystal ball is in the shop.

This was a comment on ONE incident, not a broad, sweeping diatribe against the medical profession. Let's be careful how we interpret things that weren't said before attacking those that didn't say them.

 

[Mskanga]

Originally posted by Disney Doll

You people think there's a shortage of healthcare professionals now...wait a few years.Who wants to work in such a thankless profession???? I mean, think of all the fun we have...working evenings, weekends, holidays, being exposed to contagious diseases and inconsiderate people who think our main purpose is to wait on them hand and foot. And when a mistake is made, well, gee, then we also get handed a load of disrespect on top of al the other fun!!!!!!!!


[/COLOR] [/B]

There are many more thankless professions besides healthcare. This is a clear case of negligence and as result of it someone died. Tragic!

 

[MeanLaureen]

Disney Doll, you must have trouble typing with that huge chip on your shoulder concerning they way people treat health care professionals.

Let me clear up one MAJOR difference here. You say that doctors are HUMAN and this was an unfortunate HUMAN ERROR. So far from the truth. This was not a HUMAN error but a CARELESS HUMAN error. A human error might be an accidental slip of the scalpel - not the fact that nobody checked to be sure that this would be a compatible transplant.

The person who made this error SHOULD be held responsible. Drunk drivers are held responsible, the owners, staff or band in the past two nightclub tragedies will be held responsible and anyone that causes harm to another person through gross negligance is held responsible. Doctors should not be exempt.

As far as doctors are concerned, maybe I do have some anger towards them. I have been battling an ongoing autoimmune disease that started in 92, went into remission for awhile and resurfaced in 2000. It is now chronic and slowly robbing me of any form of a life that I might have enjoyed for the 25 yrs prior to getting sick. TWICE I have had doctors (two seperate doctors) put my life in jeopardy because of CARELESS mistakes where they did not bother to research my drug history or run a test when needed - and requested. There IS a lot of carelessness out there in the medical profession. I have witnessed it firsthand. Don't lecture me on respect. I give it where I receive it.

 

[Crissup]

Originally posted by MeanLaureen
As far as doctors are concerned, maybe I do have some anger towards them. Don't lecture me on respect. I give it where I receive it.

Never tick off a pin person!!