For Immediate Release:
Mar 29, 2022
Contact:
Courtney Holsworth, cholsworth@rabengroup.com, (989) 572-8162
NMA Statement in Response to Conviction of Nurse RaDonda Vaught
On Friday, former nurse RaDonda Vaught was criminally prosecuted for a fatal drug error. In response, Dr. Rachel Villanueva, President of the National Medical Association, issued the following statement:
“At the core of improving safety and quality of care for all patients is the ability of healthcare providers to admit to and learn from honest mistakes when they happen. Health professionals are trained in the analysis and review of our care – that is how we improve patient care and grow as medical professionals. While the death of any patient is a tragedy and we mourn the loss of life, the outcome in this devastating case could discourage providers from reporting errors and set a dangerous precedent, at a time when the medical profession is already facing unprecedented challenges. As we enter the third year of a pandemic and face staffing shortages across the country, this verdict will further strain our profession. Black doctors and patients already face varying degrees of discrimination in the health care industry, this added layer of anxiety when administering care will negatively impact our job and our ability to provide quality care.”
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The NMA promotes the collective interests of physicians and patients of African descent. We carry out this mission by serving as the collective voice of physicians of African descent and a leading force for parity in medicine, elimination of health disparities and promotion of optimal health.
