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StumblePublished Wednesday, March 5, 2008 | 1:49 p.m.
Updated Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008 | 2:14 p.m.
The Nevada State Board of Nursing reports that five certified nurse anesthetists voluntarily surrendered their licenses Wednesday pending the resolution of an investigation into dangerous and irresponsible injection practices at Endoscopy Center of Nevada, which led to the largest hepatitis C scare in the nation.
Health officials say 40,000 people are at risk of hepatitis B, C and HIV because nurses used syringes more than once when administering anesthetic to individual patients, which contaminated medicine vials. Then, the nurses used the vials, which were intended for single use, on multiple patients, passing on infection.
Six people have been infected with hepatitis C because of the injections. Nurses told health officials they were ordered to reuse syringes and single-dose medicine vials by their boss, Dr. Dipak Desai, one of Nevada’s most powerful and politically connected physicians. Desai allegedly asked them to perform the dangerous procedures in order to save money, health officials were told by the nurses.
The Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners is also investigating the situation, as are Metro police and the District Attorney's Office.
Was it really worth it?
Rather than inject patients with these lethal injections, because they were told to, why didn't any of the nurses whistleblow. Did these nurses ever think before they acted negligently? If 1 or more of those who they injected, were members of their own family, would these nurses still obey the orders of Dr. Desai and inject, and possibly infect their own family?
I have a hard time believing that any one person (DESAI) could have that much power over a group of people. If someone told me that (and I am a nurse) not only would I say not on your life I would also be reporting that person right away. Come on people it's a group of you against one. Syringes are not costly compared to the high cost you will pay for the physical and emotional damage you have done. You give health care and health care providers a bad name and you should be ashamed and lose your licenses for good. Also, don't even tell me that this clinic will ever be allowed to open it's doors again if they promise to behave, I'd say they've lost their chances to change their ways.
All nurses take an oath upon graduation but that is a moral one. State laws also require us to maintain strict rules and regulations. Those (hopefully very few) nurses who willfully used dirty technique cast doubt on all of us who maintain strict hand and injection protocols. Shame on them. They don't even have the poor excuse of a busy floor or an emergency to try and excuse themselves. Those kinds of procedures are planned for; not rushed. I retired as an RN in 1999. I am sick about this tragedy and sad for the families who will be rocked by the diagnosis of potentially fatal diseases among a loved one.
This is such a scary situation. Every since I first heard about this, I have been asking why the nurses, aides, and other employees of these various Medical Businesses did not come forward to blow the whistle on this horrible practice??? Being that most people who are working within the medical field are highly trained, they should have realized immediately the risk to the patients that reusing needles, etc carries with it. I understand the desire to retain one's job, but if faced with this serious of an infraction and its probability to loss of life, I would have been blowing my whistle everywhere. Geez.....its so sad that this went on for soooo long, and no one said anything. People will lose their lives over this, family and friends will lose loved ones much sooner than they should have.....all for saving a few bucks. While I agree that the administrators/doctors who ordered this practice into effect should fry, I also think that the workers who did nothing should have some responsibility in this case.
I wish all the patients who have this added burden upon them all of the love and healing and support that The Higher Power and those on the earth can give, as well as their loved ones.
Best Wishes.....
Teresa in LV
Here's the list of the doctors, with photos, on their website
http://www.gastrocenternv.com/physicians...
I am an Indian-American physician. These people are an embarassment to our community. There is a word to describe someone like Dr. Desai and that word cannot be printed in the newspaper. I hope the authorities strip his license and throw him in jail.
In Iowa, we nurses are working hard to get a state law passed that would protect nurses who blow the whistle, from losing their jobs. I am curious about the educational standards for nurse anesthetists in Nevada. Here in Iowa, currently they need a Master's degree with appropriate education. IN some states, they may have as associate degree or bachelor's.
In addition, if these nurses could not stand up to this boss, how would we ever expect a nurse aide to stand up to RNs or Doctor's who breach other infection control practices. Simple handwashing! In addition, the staffing in major care institutions needs to be carefully considered. Handwashing is the most effective method to prevent transmission of pathogens. Is there time to perform effective handwashing and still care for the number of clients assigned on certain shifts with many procedures? Nurses on staff as well as managers and top nurse executives must seriously consider the ramifications of these staffing decisions. The entire team needs to take staff reports of dangerous conditions, i.e. an operating table that is electically active, seriously in the first days/hours of its being reported.
Jean M Ohlen, RN, MSN, Iowa
So, is it time, yet, to stand up and shout "no more affirmative action"?
I fully agree with moscati re: bio-terrorists!
My husband went for a colonoscopy to the Burnham clinic in Nov 2007. Thank God all came back clear on the test. UNTIL this week.
Now we sit in "terror" waiting for his blood results to come back, which he took yesterday at our local drs office.
My heart and prayers are going out to everyone that is a part of this living nightmare.
I blame not only the drs that own these clinics, but even more so I blame the nurses, drs and anyone that "knowingly" used dirty syringes etc,,
Let's face it,,,they are the ones that fired the fatal shot, the owners gave the word and they re: those who intentionally did this due to their own lack of morals, ethics, common sense, etc,,are even more guilty then the one that said lets save some money.
There is NO EXCUSE whatsoever and I believe that anyone who did this should be fully prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
What makes "them" any different then the terrorists we are fighting in Iraq? At least we can see them and are trained to fight our enemies and do it well.
All it took was for 1 person that knew of this disgrace in the clinic to make a call, without giving their name and this could of been prevented.
I know that God will be the final judge on these people.
With hope and prayers to all who have or are suffering now with these diseases, and are waiting for the "results" may God Bless you with HIS PEACE during this time of bio-war in our valley.
I too wonder why there were no whistleblowers. Even if these nurses, doctors, and other staff were in fear of losing their jobs, there is still NO EXCUSE for their conduct. They knew they were failing medical safety 101. At the very least, an anonymous call to the health dept could have saved thousands of people from this scare. Of course, their jobs would still be ultimately lost with the clinic closure, but that's ok by me.
For those of you affected: my hope that you will all test negative. I also hope that you will all run screaming to your lawyers and bury this company.
If the nurses have done the right thing and surrendered their licenses, why hasn't that greedy schmuck Desai surrendered his? They should add to his credentials Board Certified Crook. What kind of doctor has so little concern for other human beings that they would take this risk? What kind of nurses failed to report this? Where are the criminal charges?
I mean really, any high school biology student could have told you that sharing those vials was a contamination risk. Even if they didn't actually share the needles, what they did is just as bad and just as stupid.
If our politicians fail to criminally prosecute these vile people we should find out exactly who Desai is "politically connected" to and throw them out of office.
I think it is important to establish the relationship between the nurse anesthestists and Dr. Desai. Were they really his employees or were they independent contractors?
When nurses try to play doctor, people die. Make a note of it.
The public should be aware that other "providers" besides physician anesthesiologists are administering anesthesia without the public's knowledge. The public as the patients needs to know who is taking care of a very important aspect of their surgery--ensuring their safety while a procedure is performed.
Nurse anesthetists by virtue of their status as nurses are put in a difficult position to question their physician employers by virtue of needing supervision. As exemplified by tragic ocurrence, the nurse anesthetists failed to question orders that compromised patient safety even though they should have.
Physician anesthesiologists by virtue of their education as physicians are in equal footing in knowledge and education as the surgeon/endoscopist to question and cancel any procedure where patient safety is deemed compromised. Not so for the nurse anesthetists who have less education and medical knowledge to question their supervisors.
In the end, let us use this unfortunate incident to encourage the public to ask who is in charge of performing the anesthesia. Always, always, always ask for the qualifications of the person performing the anesthetic and whether this person is a physician anesthesiolists, nurse anesthetist, anesthesiology assistant or sedation nurse.
The first provider has the highest and most complete training. As a patient you need to demand the best because the charge for the service will be the same regardless of who performs your anesthetic so why not pay to have the best at your bedside.
Questions about anesthesiology, visit the following site where you can find all the information you need to know the next time you require sedation or anesthesia:
http://www.asahq.org/patientEducation.ht...