Major Hepatitis Scare in Colorado

[marmar]

AP via Comcast:



Scrub tech causes major hepatitis scare in Colo.
By P. SOLOMON BANDA, AP


DENVER — Kimberly Spencer's 9-year-old son went to Audubon Ambulatory Surgery Center last month for what was supposed to be a routine surgery. The rambunctious child stuck a BB in his ear and doctors had to operate to remove it.

What happened next shocked the family. They were notified that their son is one of 6,000 patients who may have been exposed to hepatitis C by a painkiller-addicted technician who had the disease and allegedly passed on dirty syringes to patients.

The technician has been jailed, thousands of rattled patients have been getting hepatitis C tests, and two medical facilities where she worked have been bombarded with questions about how they let it happen. Ten cases of hepatitis C have been linked to Rose Medical Center, where Kristen Diane Parker worked until April.

"It was originally a humorous child story we could write about in his baby book and now it's just gone south a little bit," Spencer said Friday as she awaited results of her son's blood test. "We're very optimistic, we think it's going to be just fine. It's still unnerving."

During a police interview videotaped June 30 that was played in court Thursday, the 26-year-old Parker told a detective that she kept dirty saline-filled syringes in her pocket and watched for opportunities when doctors and nurses left the room. She then allegedly stole syringes filled with Fentanyl from operating carts and replaced them with the used syringes.

"I didn't want to make it obvious to everyone that I was using," the 26-year-old Parker told the detective in the interview, saying she stole between 15 and 20 syringes of Fentanyl. "I knew my limit." ...........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-general/20090711/US.Surgery.Tech.Hepatitis/

[rd_kent]

1. What, was Pam Anderson making the rounds there?

Its just a joke, relax!

[mitchum]

2. It is not a fun disease...

actually, it is not a fun treatment. But the treatment does work.
My best wishes to all those who have been infected.

[uppityperson]

3. k&r and SHAME on that Tech. I bet they update their narcotics checking system

edited because I typed too fast

[backscatter712]

4. That junkie tech should be hung, drawn and quartered...

On top of the spreading of hepatitis, which itself should be a capital crime, she stole painkillers from hospital patients - people recovering from surgery, cancer patients, and so on. She caused a great deal of suffering!