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SUPPLEMENT/CONTINUATION
FL0520300/Clearwater Police Department
Report No.
95-29158
Death Investigation
Date of Report
S., was not registered or seen at Northwest Hospital on the day in question, October 30, 1992. The medical record for Benny S. was reviewed and there was no record of any visits by Béńny S.’s between August 20, 1992 and November 10, 1992. On Monday, November 9, 1992, Dr. Mark R., the Anesthesia Section Chief, contacted Dr. Fitzgerald for an explanation. Dr. Fitzgerald explained that Benny S. was a patient at Sutter Surgical Center but had been seen at Northwest Hospital in the past. Since Sufenta was not available at Sutter, she obtained it at Northwest Hospital and took it to Sutter since Benny S. had been seen at Northwest Hospital in the past. On Tuesday, November 10, 1992, at approximately 0800 hours, Dr. Fitzgerald requested additional Sufenta for Benny S. from the R.N. in charge of the Operating Room. Knowing that this was improper procedure, the R.N. refused to sign the Sufenta out to Dr. Fitzgerald and referred her to Fred J. in the Pharmacy. Dr. Fitzgerald commented to the R.N. that she had gotten into trouble the day before and would therefore have the patient, Benny S., come into the OP Services Department. Later that day at approximately 1130 hours, Benny S. arrived at the OP Services Department for a refill of his intrathecal pump. The medications, Sufenta and Marcain, were then given to Dr. Fitzgerald, who drew them up into syringes. Once the medications were prepared, Dr. Fitzgerald requested that the R.N. from the OP Services Department come in and assist her with the procedure. It should be noted that, since the review of this incident led to the question about narcotic usage, I performed an audit of all of Dr. Fitzgerald’s usage during October of 1992. The controlled substance records for October 1992 identified six patients, including Benny S.. All records were compared with the controlled substance records and conclusions were completed by
• Sue H., R.N. as follows:


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