Opinion ID: 3187918
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Howard’s Surgery and Death

Text: {¶ 4} On May 2, 2012, Howard Griffith (“Howard”), Gene’a Griffith’s father, was admitted by appellee, Aultman Hospital, for surgery. After being transferred out of intensive care to a step-down unit, Howard developed intermittent atrial fibrillation and was placed on continuous cardiac monitoring. {¶ 5} Around 4 a.m. on May 6, 2012, a nurse in the step-down unit assessed Howard and found that he was doing well. About 45 minutes later, an x-ray technician found Howard in his bed with his gown ripped off, the cardiac monitor no longer attached to his body, his central line lying on the floor, and his chest tube disconnected. Howard was unresponsive and did not have a heartbeat. Medical personnel resuscitated him and moved him to the intensive-care unit. However, Howard had suffered severe brain damage and after he made no neurological improvement, his family decided to remove him from life support on May 7, 2012. Howard died approximately nine hours later on May 8, 2012. 2 January Term, 2016