Kansas And Missouri Licensing Attorney Discuss Tragedy

/in /by

A question of whether a boy should have received a second dose of sedative arose after a child passed away during a dental procedure. The child was only 4-years-old. According to Foxnews.com, the boy may have had autism. His mother indicated he was on the autism spectrum although it is unclear whether he was officially diagnosed with the disorder. The boy went to a dentist that has a practice restricted to handling difficult patients. The initial investigation reports suggest that the boy received an additional dose of a powerful sedative before the dental procedure. Kansas and Missouri professional licensing attorney Danielle Sanger has represented numerous dentists and other professionals under investigation for violations of ethical rules.

The four-year-old presented an interesting problem for the dentist: the boy simply refused to open his mouth for the procedure. Despite lesser intrusive techniques, the dentist decided that sedating him would give the dentist the best opportunity to complete the process. The dentist office employs a board certified anesthesiologist to assist with difficult patients. The sedatives help the children relax as well as be compliant and non-combative during the examination. Toward that end, the dentist’s office employs an anesthesiologist to administer the appropriate drug.

Office personnel went to talk to the boy’s mother when the procedure was over. The staff reported to the child’s mother that he was resting comfortably and that it was time to begin to rouse him. The boy did not wake, however. He was found unresponsive and not breathing. Staff immediately commenced CPR and called for an ambulance. The EMS quickly transported him to a local hospital, but it was too late. The child died.

The dentist’s office and practice group declined to comment on the situation specifically because it was under investigation by several authorities. They did comment that their office performed over 1,900 similar procedures over a three-year span without complication or complaint. Furthermore, the dental office stated that the anesthesiologist followed strict protocols and guidelines. To ensure safety, the dental staff consults with the patient’s treating physician to obtain permission to give the child a sedative as a critical component of its anesthesia protocols.

In the immediate aftermath of the boy’s death, the mother learned that the anesthesiologist gave him a second shot of sedative. The sedative used is a powerful drug called ketamine. The mother stated the doctor wanted to be certain the child would not wake up while the dentist was working on him. Had that happened, the dentist would not have been able to complete the procedure. Accordingly, the physician gave a second shot. The report was not clear whether the boy’s mother knew they were going to give him a second shot.

Properly obtaining informed consent is the obligation of every healthcare provider. This instance may present an issue of whether the appropriate informed consent was given by the child’s mother for the second shot a ketamine. This issue will be thoroughly vetted by any investigatory body looking into these events. Therefore, it is vital for every healthcare professional to be certain informed consent is properly given. The patient or their proxy must understand what will be administered and have the opportunity to ask questions about the process. There must be no surprises when it comes to getting consent to perform medical and dental procedures.

Even the most diligent and conscientious healthcare professionals make mistakes

Kansas and Missouri Professional Licensing Attorney Danielle Sanger understands that mistakes can and sometimes do happen. It is a part of life. That understanding may not prevent a state licensing board from undertaking an investigation for an ethics violation. If that happens, Attorney Sanger will fight to protect your livelihood and your personal life as well. Call 785-979-4353 today for a consultation.

Kansas And Missouri Professional Licensing Attorney Asks If A Misdiagnosis Lead To New Mother’s Death?

/in /by

Did doctors in a New York hospital miss a diagnosis that caused the death of a young mother during childbirth? The answer of the question remains to be seen. The New York Times reported that a 34-year-old woman died after giving birth to her second child. Childbirth-related deaths are rare in the United States, but they do happen. The burning question is whether this death could have been prevented. If so, the physicians could face professional discipline as well as facing a medical malpractice lawsuit filed by the grief-stricken husband of the deceased.

The stricken woman began experiencing contractions about one month before her due date. They contractions were severe, and she was having difficulty sleeping. Consequently, she went to the emergency room of a local hospital. There, the staff examined her and informed her that she was not ready to give birth. They advised her to go home and get some rest. She did and eventually fell asleep. The next morning, the expectant mother awoke with contractions and pain in her abdomen.

The contractions advanced, and the woman gave birth in her apartment. Her husband called EMS and a neighbor assisted with the delivery. The EMS responders took the mother and newborn child to the hospital for a routine examination. Everything appeared to be fine. Before leaving the hospital, the new mother, her husband, and the baby’s brother all took photographs. The woman did not appear to be in any distress whatsoever. That changed shortly after arriving at the hospital.

What was to be a routine examination of the mother took a tragic turn. The doctors determined that the mother’s placenta did not discharge along with the baby. Therefore, the attending physicians began a procedure designed to expel the placenta. The initial attempt failed. As a result, the physicians opted to remove the placenta surgically. Surgeons delayed the procedure for reasons that are not clear. The surgery yielded disastrous results.

As the surgery was almost complete, the woman’s blood pressure crashed. The woman went into shock due to blood loss during the placenta removal. The staff quickly transferred her to the intensive care unit for blood transfusions. She received several transfusions but would her blood pressure would not stabilize. Doctors contemplated exploratory surgery to determine the cause of the problem.

Even at that point, the doctors did not expect to lose her. They informed her husband that the procedure would take a little while. That gave the man time to go home to pick up his eldest son who was with a babysitter all day. By the time she reached his home, his phone had ringed. It was the hospital calling to tell him his wife died from the blood loss.

The man filed a medical malpractice action against the hospital and the numerous physicians who treated his wife the night before she died and the day she died. He is understandably heartbroken. The lawsuit is still pending in court.

The most careful, diligent, and circumspect physicians make mistakes. The question here though does not only be they negligent but did they commit an ethical violation? Whether this was just a tragic case that could not have been prevented or not remains to be seen.

Count On Zealous Representation If You Are Accused Of An Ethical Violation

If you are a medical professional or other professional licensee facing professional discipline, Attorney Danielle Sanger can help. Attorney Sanger has extensive experience representing various healthcare professionals as well as other professional licensees. Call Kansas and Missouri Professional Licensing Attorney Danielle Sanger today at 78-979-4353 to schedule a consultation.

Kansas And Missouri Licensing Attorney Advises Clients Not To Relax Professional Standards

/in /by

According to the Miami Herald, a 25-year-old woman, who was a young mother, passed away during implant surgery at a Miami area cosmetic surgery clinic.  The woman engaged the clinic to perform a “Brazilin Butt Lift.”  The young lady was from Kansas City, MO. She was the second in a month to die in the Miami area while having cosmetic surgery. She is also the second woman in a year to die after seeking cosmetic treatment at this particular treatment facility. Unfortunately, this particular clinic and its predecessors have had problems in the recent past. Kansas and Missouri professional licensing attorney Danielle Sanger reminds physicians to adhere to the highest ethical and practical standards mandated by the medical profession to avoid professional discipline and claims of medical malpractice.

The Florida Department of Health and law enforcement authorities are investigating the young woman’s death. The young woman was reported to be happy and healthy two days before she died when she left Kansas City to head to South Florida. The woman was placed under a general anesthetic rather than a local before the surgery.During the surgery, which involves the physician removing cellulite from the stomach and injecting it into the woman’s buttocks, the woman’s blood pressure dropped. She was unconscious. Emergency personnel responded, but she could not be revived.

Using general anesthesia is risky for these types of procedures. The best option is to administer a local anesthetic for pain control.  In one instance, there was a question of whether the patient knew what was happening. The patient did sign an informed consent form. However, the news report suggests that the informed consent form purportedly signed by the patient was crossed out and written over. The report claims that it is virtually impossible to determine what procedure the unsuspecting patient approved. Moreover, there are no discernible means to tell whether the patient signed before or after the cross outs and additional markings.

The surgical clinic where the woman perished has had its share of difficulties. The news report about the incident refers to the clinic itself as a “storefront.” The description invites readers to infer that this is some fly-by-night operation. Health officials in Florida say that in 2015, a medical practitioner associated with the practice injured four patients during a 30-day span while performing liposuction. The doctor claims in “YouTube” videos the aggressively use liposuction. Additionally, the Florida attorney general’s office investigated the clinics and ordered that the clinic’s incorporators repay nearly $200,000 to patients who pre-paid for services. In exchange, the Florida attorney general’s office dropped the investigation. Furthermore, health officials cited the clinic for poor record keeping practices as well as the use of ineffective equipment.

While cosmetic surgery is often performed by reputable and competent physicians and staff, some facilities measurably fall below professional standards. The clinic in question went through numerous name changes and was “rebranding” itself. The owners of the corporation that runs the clinics dissolved those corporations and reincorporated under a different name. Additionally, the clinic marketed itself to out-of-town patients through internet marketing that promises inexpensive plastic surgery and amazing results. Practitioners must remember to consult the rules relating to marketing and advertising before making claims guaranteeing precise results. Additionally, physicians and other health care providers must practice in a manner consistent with maintaining the integrity of the professional and protection of the public.

Consult With A True Advocate For Professional Licensees If You Have Questions

Kansas and Missouri professional licensing attorney Danielle Sanger has the knowledge, skill, and experience to assist you if there are issues regarding your ethical obligations. Furthermore, licensees are well advised not to attempt handling professional discipline without competent counsel. Call Kansas Licensing Attorney Danielle Sanger today at 785-979-4353 to schedule a consultation and learn how Attorney Sanger will fight to protect you.

Kansas And Missouri Licensing Attorney Cautions Medical Professionals To Be Aware Of Fatigue

/in /by

Even the best nurses can make mistakes. A Canadian nurse learned that lesson the hard way recently. The nurse was feeding a child born prematurely who also had developmental problems caused by his premature birth. The baby, who was only a few weeks old at the time, fell out of the nurse’s arms during a feeding early in the morning. The child was severely injured in the fall. Kansas and Missouri professional licensing attorney Danielle Sanger cautions medical professionals especially, but other professionals as well, to watch out for the signs of fatigue. Injuries or death a patient can occur from inattentiveness or forgetfulness due to fatigue and exhaustion.

The Toronto Sun reported that the incident took place on February 20, 2017, at about 3:00 a.m. The child was born several weeks early just before Christmas 2016. Although his twin went home, the boy needed continued hospital care because of a lung condition caused by his premature birth. The boy fell out of the nurse’s arms when she fell asleep during the feeding. The boy tumbled to the floor. The nurse awoke when the boy started crying after striking the floor. The nurse followed hospital protocol. She sought a consult from the on-call pediatrician. The doctor examined the baby and determined he was uninjured. The nurse called the baby’s mother around 8:00 a.m.

The parents went to the hospital to check on their son. Again they were informed by another pediatrician that their son was uninjured by the fall. The mother persisted in obtaining further medical opinions. She was proved right. The boy had an ultra-sound and a CT-scan. The test results revealed that the boy suffered a fractured skull from striking the floor.

The child’s mother expressed dismay and disbelief over the nurse’s and hospital’s response to the situation. The boy’s parents were outraged that the nurse called five hours after her son’s fall. Additionally, they were incensed because the hospital refused to perform diagnostic testing to determine if he was injured. The mother also wonders why a nurse caring for special needs children in a facility designed to care for at-risk babies would chance going to work so tired that she fell asleep in the middle of her shift.

The hospital has defended the nurse. The hospital stated that the no disciplinary action would follow. The hospital reiterated that the nurse was an excellent caregiver with an exemplary record. The hospital also noted that the nurse followed hospital protocol. There is no word yet as to whether any Canadian licensing board would seek to take adverse action against the nurse’s license.

The preceding story, while tragic, can happen to the most diligent health care provider. The nurse’s professional rules of conduct in both Kansas and Missouri prohibit nurses practicing healthcare if their mental, emotional, or physical condition is compromised. Therefore, it is wise to take some time off if you feel fatigued. It happens to everyone, and there is no shame in it. Healthcare facilities should encourage the practice. Doing so will cut down on avoidable accidents and injuries to patients receiving care from less-than-attentive nurses and other healthcare professionals. The facility has a duty to ensure that it is sufficiently staffed to look after its patients. Staffing levels are not necessarily the nurse’s immediate concern. The overall care of their patients must take precedent.

Dedicated Professional Licensing Attorney Ready To Assist You

Kansas and Missouri Professional Licensing Attorney Danielle Sanger zealously represents all of her clients. She has extensive experience defending professionals facing licensing discipline and investigation. Call Attorney Sanger today at 785-979-4353 for a consultation today.