What happened in the RaDonda Vaught case
There are many different views on what happened in the RaDonda Vaught case. Below are two viewpoints of the
RaDonda Vaught case - one is shared by a nurse and the other is shared by a doctor. Please watch both videos and then
answer the essay questions below.
1) Please watch the following recordings:
a) The RaDonda Vaught Case: An Unpopular Opinion (ONE NURSES VIEW) (approx 27 minutes)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zOvm1YpYjs
b) Nurse RaDonda Vaught Convicted of Homicide? A Doctor Explains (ONE DOCTORS VIEW) (approx 28 minutes)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NBtoKP2Geg
2) Short Essay: Submit a short essay between 500-600 total words (Times New Roman font, 11) using
a WORD document. Based on information shared in the two videos above, please include the following topics/questions
in your short essay:
•
Briefly compare and contrast the different perspectives communicated by Nurse Scott and ZDoggMD.
•
How can we, as program and project managers, apply core and/or facilitative management activities to address
the systemic and human errors that were identified in the videos? Think about what you have learned about
process improvement and quality management (structure, process, outcome), defining the actual problem,
decision making, communication barriers (contextual vs interpersonal), etc. (For full credit- you must use the
terminology learned in this course appropriately in your essay)
Sample Solution
Do you think the outcome of this case was just? Why or why not? Nurse Scott and ZDoggMD both had different perspectives on the RaDonda Vaught case. Nurse Scott believed that Vaught was a scapegoat for larger systemic issues within the healthcare system and highlighted the lack of communication, training, and support for nurses. He also noted that
if we focus too much on individual accountability, then there is a risk of overlooking systemic problems in healthcare organizations. On the other hand, ZDoggMD suggested that while systemic issues may have played a role, it was ultimately Vaught's fault due to her decision-making process which led to fatal errors during the surgery.
As program and project managers, we can apply core management activities to address these errors by implementing structure into our processes with clear roles and responsibilities defined for everyone involved (i.e., surgeons, anesthesiologists). We should also use process improvement methods such as root cause analysis to determine why things went wrong in order to prevent similar incidents from reoccurring in the future. Additionally, having effective communication systems between staff members is paramount because contextual barriers can easily lead to miscommunication which leads to potential medical errors. Quality management should be used at all levels - from ensuring proper safety protocols are followed during surgery procedures all the way down to providing adequate training for new nurses so they understand their roles better when interacting with patients' needs prior/during/after a procedure has been completed .
I do not think that Vaught alone should be held accountable for what happened as part of this case given how many players were involved; however I do believe that she shares responsibility due her role within this tragedy along with other stakeholders who failed at managing or communicating properly throughout various stages before & after Darlene’s operation took place.