DVT: Lawsuit Filed as Critical Care Nurse Examines Practice Habits

A Huntsville, Alabama skilled nursing facility has been named in a lawsuit according to AL.com, claiming that facility failed to properly monitor and care for 78 year old Ella Kerdus while she was being treated for a blood clot.

The lawsuit, filed yesterday against Diversicare Windsor House LLF in Madison County Circuit Court, came as “Critical Care Nurse” – a journal for critical and acute care nurses –  released an article titled: “Examining the Evidence to Guide Practice: Challenging Practice Habits” in which prevention of venothromboembolism (which includes Deep Vein Thrombosis and Pulmonary Embolism) is discussed in great detail.

The journal article also touches on the importance of checking in on and turning patients every two hours.

Kerdus was diagnosed with Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) and was prescribed two blood thinning, anti-coagulation drugs and aspirin on November 19th, 2012.  Her physician also ordered that her blood-thinness levels to be checked every three days, the lawsuit claims.

The lawsuit claims that her levels were checked for the last time on December 1st.  By December 7th, when she was transferred to Huntsville Hospital doctors noted a large bruise on her abdomen and that her blood-thinness levels were “well above the normal coagulation rate.”

Ms. Kerdus died shortly thereafter.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages and alleges wrongful death.  While there are two sides to every story, if staff at Windsor House had been checking in on and turning patients regularly, utilizing some form of prophylaxis with their patients, and following the doctors monitoring orders, would Ella Kerdus have lived?  Or even developed DVT in the first place?

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