A replacement nurse at the Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Oakland, Calif., administered a fatal dose of medication on Saturday to a cancer patient during a nurses’ strike.
The medical center did not release details about the patient or the sort of treatment being administered, citing privacy laws. Police would not say what type of medication was involved or how much was given. The Oakland Tribune reported that the patient was a 66-year-old Oakland resident.
Approximately 23,000 nurses throughout California went on a one-day strike Thursday at 33 not-for-profit hospitals run by Kaiser Permanente, Sutter Health and Children’s Hospital Oakland. According to union officials, nurses at the Sutter hospitals were not allowed to return to work on Friday.
Sutter officials said due to contracts with the replacement nurses, it was necessary to conduct the lockout.
"Once a strike is called, it would be financially irresponsible for hospitals to pay double to compensate both permanent staff and replacement workers," Sutter Health said in a prepared statement prior to the death.
The lockout is scheduled to end Tuesday.
"While medical errors do exist in healthcare, we are constantly investing in ways to improve patient care," said Steve O'Brien, medical affairs vice president, in a statement. "This is a most unfortunate event for which we are very sorry."
"This is a tragic event and our heart goes out to the family of the patient," Carol Weis, the hospital's chief nursing executive at the medical center's Summit campus, said in a written statement. "We have met and spoken with the family of the patient to express our sorrow and sympathy and let them know our prayers are with them."
The patient’s death is believed to have been caused by “a nonprescribed dosage of medication," said Oakland police Sgt. Mike Gantt. An autopsy is scheduled for Monday.