Attorneys representing patients of an Oregon hospital have filed a $303 million lawsuit against Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center in Medford. The lawsuit alleges that a former nurse replaced prescribed fentanyl with tap water in IV drips, resulting in patient infections and deaths. The hospital is accused of negligence for failing to monitor medication administration procedures and prevent drug diversion by employees. The spokesperson for the hospital declined to comment on the lawsuit.
The nurse, Dani Marie Schofield, was arrested and charged with 44 counts of second-degree assault in June, but she is not named in the recent lawsuit. A separate suit was filed against Schofield and the hospital earlier this year on behalf of a patient who died. The lawsuit filed on Tuesday includes 18 plaintiffs, nine of whom are living patients and nine who are estates of deceased patients. The hospital informed the plaintiffs in December that an employee had replaced fentanyl with tap water, causing bacterial infections.
The complaint alleges that all the plaintiffs were infected with bacteria associated with waterborne transmission. The patients experienced mental anguish as a result of the infections, and the lawsuit seeks damages for medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering of those who died. Medford police began investigating the hospital after officials noticed a spike in central line infections and suspected an employee of diverting fentanyl. Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid commonly used for pain relief but has also been implicated in the overdose epidemic.
The theft of drugs from hospitals is a longstanding issue, and this incident highlights the potential dangers posed by such actions. The lawsuit emphasizes the need for hospitals to closely monitor medication administration procedures and prevent drug diversion by employees. Patients who were affected by the nurse’s alleged actions have suffered physically, emotionally, and financially as a result. The lawsuit seeks to hold the hospital accountable for its role in allowing these incidents to occur and causing harm to patients and their families.
The case underscores the importance of maintaining strict protocols for medication administration and drug security in healthcare settings. Patients should be able to trust that the medications they receive are safe and properly administered. The lawsuit aims to compensate the plaintiffs for the harm they have suffered and seeks to ensure that such incidents do not happen again in the future. Hospitals must prioritize patient safety and take measures to prevent drug diversion and ensure the proper handling of medications to protect patients from harm.
