Criminalization of Nursing Errors

Resources and Articles on Recent Cases

RaDonda Vaught Case

An All New Webinar For Nurse Leaders

The Criminalization of Nursing Errors: What Nurse Leaders Can Do to Ensure Patient Safety, Support Staff, and Promote a Just Culture

An all-new, free On-Demand Webinar by Edie Brous, JD, RN. Register now to view this webinar immediately or anytime, anywhere! Registration is required for all viewers, including individuals and groups.*
In today’s challenging healthcare environment, with high pandemic-induced nurse burnout and moral injury along with staffing shortages, adverse events and near misses are not uncommon. The recent case of RaDonda Vaught, who was found guilty and sentenced to three years supervised probation after mistakenly administering the wrong medication that killed an elderly patient, makes it clear that nurses can be prosecuted and face the risk of being imprisoned for errors. The efforts to develop a just culture within which nurses trust that they can and should report errors without blame are now in danger of weakening or being abandoned.
 

Free ANA Webinar on Criminalization of Nursing Errors
September 20, 2022

Nurses across the United States were shaken by the RaDonda Vaught case. Many are now worried that their mistakes can result in prosecution and possible imprisonment. ANA has extended the availability of this important webinar.

Presented by Edie Brous, JD, MSN, MPH, RN, a nationally acclaimed nurse attorney, nurse advocate and speaker, this free, on-demand webinar addresses those fears and evaluates the Vaught case within the context of other cases in which health care professionals have been criminally charged. Topics addressed include:

  • How criminal charges for medical errors undermine patient safety
  • Just culture and support for the Second Victim
  • How professional organizations have responded to medical errors
  • Examples of similar cases and the risk of cases being brought against nurses for medical errors in the future
  • Steps you can take to reduce your criminal liability
  • How to become involved in addressing the issue of criminalization of medical errors

Register today for immediate access to the recorded webinar.