Former nurse RaDonda Vaught was convicted March 25 of gross neglect of an impaired adult and negligent homicide , stemming from a fatal drug error in 2017. Vaught faces three to six years in prison for neglect and one to two years for the negligent homicide conviction. She is scheduled to be sentenced May 13, 2022.
AWHONN is concerned this decision will result in healthcare workers being reluctant to disclose errors and will have a negative impact on patient care and outcomes. 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.
