anne wrote on April 05, 2008 08:56 AM: This practice does indeed happen! Open your eyes people.

Any Scapegoat Will Do wrote on March 13, 2008 01:45 AM: JL: Do you happen to be an insurance company executive hoping to sell the idea that nurse anesthetists and anesthesiologists intentionally infected patients or, alternatively, intentionally ignored sterile technique so that you can stiff the infected patients, dump your insureds, and then take a three-month vacation on your fat Christmas bonus?

Of course it's not acceptable to ignore aseptic/sterile technique. The issue is whether contaminated syringes and vials were used FROM ONE PATIENT TO THE NEXT AND, IF THAT DID HAPPEN, DID IT CAUSE INFECTION?

The health department has spent the last couple of weeks whipping up hysteria while carelessly failing to acknowledge that multiple dose vials of medication are used in virtually every hospital and surgery center in the country. When done with proper aseptic technique, the use of syringes or multidose vials poses NO risk to patients.

Some people might say that, "For the department of health, any scapegoat will do. They've spent the last ten years sitting in their cubicles and ordering pizza. Unfortunately, their laziness and disregard for the public health is becoming public knowledge; they have to find a scapegoat, AND PRONTO."

Someone might say, "Suddenly, government inspectors have become experts in the administration of anesthesia. Conveniently, they simply ignore the 30 or so OTHER possible causes of hepatitis at Shadow Lane. They simply ignore that there is no scientific proof that ANY patient in Nevada has been infected due to poor sterile technique on the part of any nurse anesthetist or anesthesiologist."

"Conveniently, the only available version of the facts is the one they publicize in their self-serving reports. They seem more interested in absolving their own sins than in protecting the public health. They've got their scapegoat, by Gawd, and they're gonna make it stick!"

Proctologist wrote on March 12, 2008 05:18 PM: It just gets better. Not only did the good Doctors bend over the 40,000,, they bent over the rest of the Clark County taxpayer !!! See the channel 8 link and pull up the story.

http://www.klas-tv.com/

UMC Severs Expensive Contract with Desai

jl wrote on March 12, 2008 05:08 PM: "There is NO scientific evidence proving that these infections are due to the actions of nurse anesthetists or anesthesiologists. I am hoping that when the CDC works through this, common sense, logic, and the scientific method will prevail."

So you're saying it's perfectly acceptable to reuse hypodermic needles and anesthetic vials?

But then you say "Nurse anesthetists and anesthesiologists are trained in sterile technique from DAY ONE."

Sounds like you're talking out of two sides of your mouth with neither side telling the truth.

I'm sure there are very competent nurse anesthetists and anesthesiologists practicing in Las Vegas but they weren't practing at any of Dr. Desai's clinic.

You say there's more to the story. Why don't you enlighten us?

Great PR wrote on March 12, 2008 04:53 PM: Can't beat the press-

Dirty Doctors
Hepatitis B&C
HIV/AIDs
40,000 old folks get mad medicine
school shootings
foreclosure capital of the nation

Viva Las Vegas!!!

They Want Us To Take The Fall wrote on March 12, 2008 04:44 PM: CRNAs and anesthesiologists across the State are having their reputations smeared and their careers ruined by out-of-control, self-serving government bureaucrats who have a vested interest in blaming us for the "Hepatitis Epidemic of '08."

Who would dare to question their "observations"? Afterall, they're from the Government. These nuts are attempting to create a noose with which they hope to hang our profession.

I am praying that the Centers for Disease Control can bring some common sense and sanity into the mess that's been created by these people.

CRNAs are sole anesthesia providers in rural Nevada wrote on March 12, 2008 04:36 PM: John, your comment about CRNAs not being the sole anesthesia provider in any Nevada hospitals is not true. The hospitals in rural Nevada ARE EXCLUSIVELY CRNA only provided anesthesia. They do a great job and their safety record is extremely good as in other states. The rural communities in Nevada would not be able to have surgical or emergency anesthesia services were it not for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists. Why? As you stated, the big,big money is not here. Also, certain amenities that are not offered in rural areas like the symphony, large shopping malls, etc keep them away from practicing in those areas.

We Can't Afford Our Own Public Relations Firm wrote on March 12, 2008 04:17 PM: Unfortunately, nurse anesthetists and anesthesiologists are too busy taking care of patients to suck up to journalists, lawyers, and insurance companies.

We also can't afford our own team of public reltions experts to get the spin going in way that sandbags somebody other than ourselves.

We don't have friends in high places and politicians in our pockets.

Suffice it to say that there's a lot more to this story than is being reported. A lot of very powerful folks are trying to bring down an entire profession to save their own skins. Nurse anesthetists and anesthesiologists are trained in sterile technique from DAY ONE.

There is NO scientific evidence proving that these infections are due to the actions of nurse anesthetists or anesthesiologists. I am hoping that when the CDC works through this, common sense, logic, and the scientific method will prevail.

Self-serving government bureaucrats should not be allowed to ruin the lives of honest ethical hardworking people who have not done anything wrong, just so they can displace blame onto somebody else and save their own bacon.

Bad Cops wrote on March 12, 2008 03:56 PM: I wouldn't be surprised if somebody theorized the following:

"Like bad cops who ignore the facts and other suspects to get the guy they know did it, ignorant and lazy government bureaucrats who don't want their own behavior taken into account would probably say just about anything to get the blame heaped on somebody else."

I wouldn't be surprised if somebody went on to say,

"There's a pretty good paper trail of inspections or lack thereof, sales and reuse of disposable medical equipment, storage of medication, packaging of medication, preservative content of medications, length of sterilization process, strength of antiseptics, etc."

"When a government inspector claims he saw X or Y, the only record of that event is the one he or she created. If the person who created the record has a dog in the fight or, has an interest in blaming somebody else in order to save his own skin, the trusworthiness of that record is extremely suspect!"

I wouldn't be surprised at all if somebody said that.

Hello McFly, They Have a Witch Hunt To Conduct wrote on March 12, 2008 03:43 PM: If the health department and irresponsible journalists are willing to smear the good names and reputations of well-trained, ethical, safe healthcare providers, why do you think they'd be willing to make accommodations for PBS? You just got caught in the crossfire. Hello McFly, they've got a witch hunt to conduct here...

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