Medical Liability Raised in Broward General Hospital Contaminated Blood Case: Fort Lauderdale, Florida Police Investigating
Patients from Fort Lauderdale, Broward County, and other South Florida communities are concerned that they may have received contaminated blood from a local hospital.
Police are investigating the case of a nurse at Broward General Medical Center who may have exposed more than 1,800 patients to blood carrying infectious diseases such as Hepatitis A and B, as well as the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). According to news reports, a 59-year-old nurse is being investigated after officials at the hospital learned that she had been reusing intravenous medical materials such as saline bags and catheter tubing as patients underwent chemical cardiac stress tests -- materials that are intended for one-time use per standard nursing protocols.
At press time, no charges had been filed against the nurse. A news report from the South Florida Sun Sentinel went on to say that Broward General was in the process of contacting 1,851 patients who may have been exposed to the contaminants since 2004. The patients are being asked to return to the hospital for blood tests. It is unclear if any Florida medical malpractice cases will arise from this investigation, nor if anyone has become sick from the actions of the nurse being investigated.
According to the news item, the CDC reportedly said that because the equipment the nurse allegedly reused did not come in direct contact with patients, the chance of disease transmission was low. The Sun Sentinel went on to report that infection could occur if contaminated blood or fluids from the reused saline bags or tubing pushed through the length of IV tubing and came in direct contact with patients. The nurse under investigation was suspended in Sept., and police now believe she has left the country.
Broward County, Florida medical malpractice lawyers may become involved in cases to advocate for individuals and families who've become sick or suffered injury or death as a result of the negligent practices of a hospital or medical center.
Earlier in the year, hospitals run by the Dept. of Veterans Affairs in Miami, Florida and other cities came under fire when it was discovered that patients received colonoscopies performed with non-sterile equipment. Medical liability was again raised in this case, as the VA patients who received colonoscopies conducted with unsterile equipment may have been exposed to pathogens such as HIV and hepatitis.
Police investigating Broward General nurse at center of infection case
South Florida Sun Sentinel, Oct. 7, 2009
Possible exposure to HIV and hepatitis for veterans who received colonoscopy in Miami VA hospital
Examiner.com March 29, 2009
Related Web Resources
Broward General Medical Center
Florida Agency for Health Care Administration
