DME Supply Group Archive Page

Thursday, April 28, 2011

IV poles can be dangerous

As if heart surgery isn't bad enough at 74 yrs old, but this incident at St. Francis Health's Heart Center made things go from bad to worse for Richard Wallace Sr. While recovering in the intensive care unit he was unfortunate to have a wall-mounted IV pole fall on him, hitting him on the head.

"Diagnostic testing and neurosurgical consultation revealed an intracranial hemorrhage in the early-morning hours. The patient is not expected to survive," the hospital said in a statement.


The man's son, Richard Wallace II, told local news that his father had been expected to make a full recovery from his heart surgery. While he is in the process of making funeral arrangements he is also working with a local attorney to take action.

The hospital said in a statement that immediate action was being taken to transfer all monitors from wall-mounted IV poles to the floor-based IV poles in all three Indianapolis-area St. Francis Health hospitals.

"A thorough investigation into the cause of this event is under way. Our deepest sympathy, thoughts and prayers are with this family during this extremely difficult time," St. Francis Health President and CEO Robert J. Brody said in a statement.

Their have been problems with monitors mounted beneath IV poles getting damaged from fluid leakage in the past. But this is the first recorded incident of a monitor on an IV pole hitting a patient and causing his death. Do you think this is a freak accident or something more hospitals should watch for?

Labels: hopital lawsuits, hospital dangers, iv poles

by: DME Supply Group 0 Comments

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