A Canadian nurse, who was found to be culpable in a medical malpractice case in the United States, has recently been discovered to be working in a Toronto medical facility. Being ruled to have been responsible for 40 percent of a 6-million-dollar lawsuit, Rose McKenzie now must answer to the Ontario nursing organization. After having her nursing licence revoked as a result of her culpability in the US medical malpractice case, McKenzie may now lose her licence in Canada.
Soon to face the College of Nurses of Ontario to answer a charge of failing to provide complete and accurate information, McKenzie may find that she will no longer be able to practice nursing in Canada or the US. Facing a fine, suspension/restriction to practice nursing or a revocation of her nursing licence, McKenzie will have a difficult time defending her actions.
The US medical malpractice case involved a routine neck surgery that left Spencer Sullivan a paraplegic. McKenzie’s role in the injury was determined to be an incident of over-medication and failure to monitor him in her duty as a temporary nurse. In the lawsuit, it was determined that McKenzie made several mistakes during her 10-hour shift looking after Sullivan on December 26, 2001. The charges included:
- Over-medication of Sullivan by not questioning his medications that were prescribed by two separate doctors;
- Failure to regularly monitor Sullivan as instructed, letting hours pass between observations;
- Failure to accurately chart Sullivan’s activities in a timely fashion. She did not update his chart until the following day after the surgery. She, instead, made notes on scraps of paper; and
- Failure to respond quickly when Sullivan stopped breathing.
Possible Damages for Which Ottawa Victims of Medical Malpractice May be Entitled To
Any time mistakes are made in a medical facility that causes harm that was preventable, a patient may be entitled to compensation. Compensation for a proven medical malpractice case can include a variety of damages. Some of the damages you may be able to recoup in a medical malpractice lawsuit include:
- Medical expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of past and future wages
- Travel expenses
- Attendant health care expenses
- Home alterations for medical needs
Girones Lawyers Assist Victims of Medical Malpractice
Ottawa medical malpractice lawsuits are complex and require the assistance of an experienced Ottawa personal injury lawyer. If you have been injured due to the mistake or negligence of a doctor, nurse, technician, or other healthcare professional, you may be entitled to damages. Contact the experienced medical malpractice lawyers at Girones Lawyers to determine if you have a medical malpractice claim worth pursuing.
