Broken bed alarm blamed in patient's death

Man died after he became disoriented and left his hospital room at UCSD Medical Center


A broken bed alarm is being blamed in the death of a patient who became disoriented and left his hospital room at UCSD Medical Center, according to an article on the NBC San Diego website.

An investigation revealed a broken alarm systems that was known to be inoperable but wasn't repaired, the article said.

The body of 57-year-old Thomas Vera was found five days after he wandered away from the hospital less than a mile from the facility in Palm Canyon.

According to a California Department of Health and Human Services probe, Vera’s bed alarm never sounded. Vera was under video surveillance, and when nurses were notified, the report states they “attempted to contact security by paging security twice with no response and then pushing the panic button twice with no response.”

The panic button was broken for 8 days, according to the report.

Read the article

 

 



September 26, 2014


Topic Area: Safety


Recent Posts

Disinfectant Contact Time: The Case for Biofilm Disruption

Contact time, while essential for compliance, does not reliably predict microbial reduction on actual healthcare surfaces.


Texas HHSC Reaches Construction Milestone for Panhandle State Hospital in Amarillo

Construction is expected to be completed in fall 2027.


Mon General Succumbs to Phishing Cyberattack

Its investigation ultimately determined that an unauthorized party gained access to certain Mon General email mailboxes on May 6, 2026.


The HVAC Dilemma: To Repair or Replace?

Healthcare facilities that keep repairing and optimizing aging systems past their useful life spend money on a problem they cannot solve without capital investment.


Department of Veterans Affairs Signs Lease for Community-Based Outpatient Clinic in Kentucky

Construction and facility preparation are expected to be completed by the winter of 2027, and the first patient should be seen by spring 2028.


 
 


FREE Newsletter Signup Form

News & Updates | Webcast Alerts
Building Technologies | & More!

 
 
 


All fields are required. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

 
 
 
 

Healthcare Facilities Today membership includes free email newsletters from our facility-industry brands.

Facebook   Twitter   LinkedIn   Posts

Copyright © 2023 TradePress. All rights reserved.