Hospital Horror Story: 75 Year Old dies from apparent Incompetence

A 75 year old patient was evaluated in the Emergency Room (ER) at Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital and was found to have a blood sugar above 500. Normal blood sugar is around 100. A physician admitted this patient and came to the ER in the middle of the night to evaluate the patient. After evaluating the patient the physician wrote admitting orders. The admitting orders had very exact insulin dosages written in the chart. The orders would say check blood sugar every 15 minutes and give insulin that is written in the chart and call me if blood sugar is not decreasing. The physician gave the nurse in the ER his cell phone, pager and home numbers to contact him if needed. Through out the night the nurse did not check the blood sugar or call the physician. This patient was noted by the nurse to have a cardiac arrest and subsequently died. The nurse who did not follow the orders was a part time nurse that was later asked to be a full time nurse at this hospital. The family is suing the hospital but the admitting physician was not named as part of the suit because his level of care was excellent and the patient expired because of poor nursing care.