Charges DROPPED against CRNA

[G.A.S Team]

I know this case was posted here previously. We now have a new update..

DA dismisses charges against nurse in death of plastic surgery patient

Rex Meeker agreed to testify against his co-defendant Dr. Geoffrey Kim who is charged with the death of 18-year-old Emmalyn Nguyen, a plastic surgery patient.

www.9news.com

Charges against CRNA for reckless manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide dropped

Really makes you question the already flawed “justice” system in this country

Maybe this will be a lesson for all MDs that supervise CRNAs that know nothing about anesthesia..

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[dabears505]

I mean those were not malpractice suits, those were criminal suits. As negligent as it was, I'm not really sure it was the right road to start going down.

 

[RemyMcswain]

This sounds more like cold blooded murder to me than the poor ICU doctor who got put on trial for giving fentanyl to actively dying patients

 

[amyl]

Apparently the charges are dropped against the crna because he agreed to testify against the surgeon. Wow

 

[The Duck Knows]

I mean those were not malpractice suits, those were criminal suits. As negligent as it was, I'm not really sure it was the right road to start going down.

I don’t know. I think not calling 911 (and even actively preventing others from calling for an ambulance in the case of the surgeon) goes beyond malpractice and negligence. The surgeon for sure should face criminal charges. He lied to the receiving ER physician to the point that it further prevented proper care. Sure, it might not have changed anything, but if you intentionally act in a way knowing it can kill or harm them, then that’s manslaughter or assault at minimum, right?

As for the crna, I thought that was a coin toss either way. Definitely a spineless person and a lousy anesthetist.

 

[IlDestriero]

It’s a slippery slope when malpractice gets you criminal charges. I’m not sure this isn’t the right thing here, but it’s one more reason I tell my kids that they’re good at math, so just go be an accountant. Have a nice uncomplicated life, work hard, become a partner and retire early.

 

[IlDestriero]

And as an aside, can you imagine being so spineless and weak that you don’t call 911 when there’s a unequivocal life threatening complication because the surgeon told you not to? He’d have to give me a ketamine or Sux dart to stop me. Wow.
Whatever life saving treatments you’re going to do, like give the patient O2, you can do while waiting for the cavalry to arrive and get them out of the office park and to a real medical facility.

 

[jwk]

So an illegible anesthesia record is a good thing??? Not knowing what was given works in his favor? Geez.

Meeker still won't get to practice as a CRNA - he surrendered his license - as it should be.

 

[Agast]

I still can’t wrap my brain around the five hour delay. What were they doing for five whole hours???

 

[Ashers]

It’s a slippery slope when malpractice gets you criminal charges. I’m not sure this isn’t the right thing here, but it’s one more reason I tell my kids that they’re good at math, so just go be an accountant. Have a nice uncomplicated life, work hard, become a partner and retire early.

You are smart.

I know MDs who practice in offices like this, and they want me to cover for them when they are out of town. I haven't done it, but it makes me nervous what could happen. Most of the anesthetics are done general without an airway.

 

[chocomorsel]

And as an aside, can you imagine being so spineless and weak that you don’t call 911 when there’s a unequivocal life threatening complication because the surgeon told you not to? He’d have to give me a ketamine or Sux dart to stop me. Wow.
Whatever life saving treatments you’re going to do, like give the patient O2, you can do while waiting for the cavalry to arrive and get them out of the office park and to a real medical facility.

Spineless for sure. But isn't that a reason some of these egotistical jerks hire CRNAs instead of someone with an equal education? So they can intimidate and control them? All the while the CRNA is busy singing that Trina song I-N-D-E-P-E-N-D-E-N-T.

For us, at least for me, there would be no suggestion to call 911. Oh, it is happening.

 

[chocomorsel]

You are smart.

I know MDs who practice in offices like this, and they want me to cover for them when they are out of town. I haven't done it, but it makes me nervous what could happen. Most of the anesthetics are done general without an airway.

Listen if you are doing this day in, day out, and are diligent in monitoring and not cutting corners, nothing wrong with this. We know how to secure airways. You get used to it. Just know that there will be no one to help you when s..t hits the fan. I mean we do GA in the OR sometimes without an airway.
It's the dental offices that can be sketchy from my understanding.

 

[Xman5678]

FYI. From the AANA Code of ethics:

https://www.aana.com/docs/default-source/practice-aana-com-web-documents-(all)/professional-practice-manual/code-of-ethics-for-the-crna.pdf?sfvrsn=d70049b1_8

2. Responsibility as a Professional
As an independently licensed professional, the CRNA is responsible and accountable for judgments made and actions taken in his or her professional practice. Requests or orders by physicians, other healthcare professionals, or institutions do not relieve the CRNA of responsibility for judgments made or actions taken.

I guess that the prosecutor did not find it persuasive.

 

[kidthor]

I don’t know. I think not calling 911 (and even actively preventing others from calling for an ambulance in the case of the surgeon) goes beyond malpractice and negligence. The surgeon for sure should face criminal charges. He lied to the receiving ER physician to the point that it further prevented proper care. Sure, it might not have changed anything, but if you intentionally act in a way knowing it can kill or harm them, then that’s manslaughter or assault at minimum, right?

As for the crna, I thought that was a coin toss either way. Definitely a spineless person and a lousy anesthetist.

In reading the story - to me it seems like the CRNA wanted them to call 911 several times and was blocked by the surgeon. It sounds like a cluster for sure, but I can see how the CRNAs actions weren't criminal.

They are still going after the surgeon though and the CRNA agreed to testify against him. It does seem that the surgeon was really driving the ship here and arguably the CRNA may have tried to do the right things...

What's surprising is that the surgeon still has an active license with basically only a need to have an anesthesiologist rather than a CRNA. You'd think that an active manslaughter of a patient criminal suit would get the guy suspended? I've seen much more severe board punishments for much, much less.

 

[amyl]

I need more information. she coded after induction? like anaphylaxis or tubed the goose and didn't realize it. the anesthesia record is illegible to the point that you cant tell what was given? does anyone have a link to more of the facts of the case?

 

[GassYous]

Esophageal intubation, left the room for 15 minutes, patient is coding from hypoxia. Clean kill of a healthy young woman for a very elective procedure, completely unjustifiable.

 

[abolt18]

Esophageal intubation, left the room for 15 minutes, patient is coding from hypoxia. Clean kill of a healthy young woman for a very elective procedure, completely unjustifiable.

Was she even intubated? (Or attempted to be intubated?)

 

[amyl]

Esophageal intubation, left the room for 15 minutes, patient is coding from hypoxia. Clean kill of a healthy young woman for a very elective procedure, completely unjustifiable.

This is what happened in this case with Rex meeker?

 

[sevo00]

This is what happened in this case with Rex meeker?

yes

 

[IMGASMD]

yes

I thought there was speculation that it maybe LAST?

Anyhoo though, how can you say “oh the surgeon didn’t let me…” when clearly the patient is blue and/or bradycardic? And waited 5 hours just to “hope” she will wake up?
Maybe if they cooled her, she had slim slim chance of some recovery?
But she ded…. Sad sad for the family.

 

[coffeebythelake]

In reading the story - to me it seems like the CRNA wanted them to call 911 several times and was blocked by the surgeon. It sounds like a cluster for sure, but I can see how the CRNAs actions weren't criminal.

They are still going after the surgeon though and the CRNA agreed to testify against him. It does seem that the surgeon was really driving the ship here and arguably the CRNA may have tried to do the right things...

Yes this was the same conclusion I have. Rex Meeker committed gross malpractice and should have his licensed petmanently revoked. but he probably understood the gravity of the situation and wanted to call 911 after the cardiac arrest and was blocked by the surgeon. This is the distinction between horribly incompetent malpractice and negligent homicide. Geoffrey Kim committed acts that are likely criminal in this case.

 

[coffeebythelake]

Esophageal intubation, left the room for 15 minutes, patient is coding from hypoxia. Clean kill of a healthy young woman for a very elective procedure, completely unjustifiable.

Was this definitively confirmed as the cause?

 

[The Duck Knows]

Was this definitively confirmed as the cause?

I don’t think it was. At one point the arrest affidavit was floating around. It mentioned the circulator going to get the surgeon and when he came back in he noticed her lips were blue. Meeker was in the room. Probably turned alarms off. I’ll try to find them. The one for Kim was especially damning. The ER doc who accepted the transfer was under the impression that they called 911 immediately and only pushed for more information because EMS refused to transfer until Meeker reintubated and she came over without sedation.

 

[We'llBeDoneIn15Minutes]

It's the dental offices that can be sketchy from my understanding.

Can be so sketchy. Worked a couple of well equipped and stocked very professional adult dentistry facilities, and they were great for both sedation and general. Did a one week fill-in at a not so equipped Medicaid peds dental office and it was a horror show.

Rushed them in and out like a factory. Horrible dentition, full mouth restorations on young peds. Heavy sedation, no airway, constant flooding irrigation. Being so young you had to Propofol them deep and teeter between not breathing and laryngospasm. After a few days I told the agency get me out of here and they found a replacement. Not for me.

 

[chocomorsel]

Can be so sketchy. Worked a couple of well equipped and stocked very professional adult dentistry facilities, and they were great for both sedation and general. Did a one week fill-in at a not so equipped Medicaid peds dental office and it was a horror show.

Rushed them in and out like a factory. Horrible dentition, full mouth restorations on young peds. Heavy sedation, no airway, constant flooding irrigation. Being so young you had to Propofol them deep and teeter between not breathing and laryngospasm. After a few days I told the agency get me out of here and they found a replacement. Not for me.

Second paragraph sucks. No airway? And lots of irrigation? On the most laryngospasm population? Poor kids. No wonder you hear about a death here and there. The peds cases in my travel practice in ND got done in the OR. Three times a week. Tubed of course.

 

[We'llBeDoneIn15Minutes]

Second paragraph sucks. No airway? And lots of irrigation? On the most laryngospasm population? Poor kids. No wonder you hear about a death here and there. The peds cases in my travel practice in ND got done in the OR. Three times a week. Tubed of course.

I wish. Not these medicaid full mouth restoration death traps. I predict from what I've seen that we'll continue to hear a tragic death here and there in these peds low income dental factories.