Former nurse RaDonda Vaught was convicted March 25 of gross neglect of an impaired adult and negligent homicide for mistakenly administering the wrong medication that resulted in the death of a patient in 2017. She was sentenced May 13 to three years of probation. She faced up to six years in prison for neglect and one to two years for the negligent homicide conviction.
AWHONN expressed concern at the time of the conviction that it would result in healthcare workers being reluctant to disclose errors and will have a negative impact on patient care and outcomes. We commend the judge for the lenient sentence. Instead of criminalizing honest mistakes in healthcare, organizations, professional boards, and systems should focus on identifying the root cause of the error and establishing reporting, system changes, and corrective action plans to prevent future events from occurring. Medical errors are typically addressed with professional licensing boards and civil court, reflecting current best practices.
AWHONN supports full disclosure policies that provide acknowledgements of error and empathy and give patients the information they need to find closure. Informing patients of adverse medical outcomes due to care provider error can facilitate continuing relationships and reduce malpractice claims.
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