At least one patient has been left permanently paralyzed after a massive medication mix-up at Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation told CBS News it is actively investigating the mix-up after the Tennessee Healthcare Facilities Commission alerted it to the incident.According to reports, the mix-up took place on August 14 when four patients received doses of potassium instead of standard pain drugs while undergoing joint replacement operations.Dr Shubhada Jagasia, the Indian-origin president and CEO of the hospital, issued a detailed statement taking responsibility for the mishap.“Our hearts are with the four patients and their families impacted by this event. On behalf of our leadership and care teams, I am deeply sorry for the harm caused to our patients. We have met directly with each of the families to express our deep support, connected them with spiritual care teams, and ensured they have access to all appropriate resources and ongoing care needed,” the statement read.Jagasia noted that the hospital authorities self-reported to state regulators after the mix-up was identified and launched a thorough investigation. “We identified the cause and have implemented corrective safeguards. Our clinical teams are actively using these enhanced safety protocols to ensure the highest level of safety at Midtown,” she said adding that the hospital would not reveal the details of the patients and what happened to them.
Revelations by local investigation
NewsChannel 5 Nashville spoke to a woman who said she was permanently paralyzed from the chest down. She was supposed to have had an epidural for pain but the wrong medication was injected, the report said adding that her family is now speaking with an attorney. WSMV identified the woman as 72-year-old Glenda Dorton.Dorton’s daughter-in-law, Kristina Buell, said Dorton knew something was wrong when she woke up. “She was having a reaction; she was itchy. She said her whole body was burning, and she couldn’t feel her legs,” Buell said.Buell said Dorton is very active and had been putting off the knee replacement surgery because she did not want the downtime that comes with it but the medication mistake changed their lives. “We’re hoping that we can give her the care she needs. This is the rest of her life, and she still has a lot of life to live. So, we’re just hoping to make that as good as possible,” Buell said.
