Statement from the Florida Nurse Practitioner Network (FNPN) on the Conviction of Tennessee Nurse, RaDonda Vaught

On March 25, 2022, former Vanderbilt University Medical Center nurse RaDonda Vaught was convicted of criminally negligent homicide and abuse of an impaired adult after a medication error contributed to the patient’s death in 2017. The Florida Nurse Practitioner Network, in alignment with the American Nurses Association and other nursing organizations, is distressed by the verdict and its implications.

Healthcare is a high-stakes profession, where mistakes may have broad implications. In this imperfect, complex, high-pressure system mistakes are possible and do occur. Criminalization of medical errors sets a dangerous precedent. Nurses do not go to work with the intent to do harm; there is no malice or forethought to harm the patients entrusted to our care.

“Just Culture” is a patient safety concept focused on learning from mistakes rather than blaming. The goal is to create an environment where employees can discuss errors or near misses and improve processes. Most medical mistakes are the result of system failures, rather than solely human errors. To fix a problem, it is necessary to understand the root cause of the problem. If nurses fear they will be criminally prosecuted, there will be less transparency when a mistake occurs, the true root of the problem may never be revealed, and patient safety will further suffer.

The punitive process and inappropriate verdict against RaDonda Vaught will fuel the fire of blame and harsh retribution. The open court does not have a clear vision of daily nursing practice and was not the proper venue for this process. At a time when the healthcare system is already facing a severe nursing shortage and the impact of a pandemic, the risk of prosecution after an honest mistake will send more of our valuable nursing profession away from the bedside. In addition, the risk of prosecution will deter future nurses from considering healthcare as a career, exacerbating the already critical shortage, and creating a dangerous patient care deficiency.