Opinion ID: 173408
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Allegations Regarding Medical Care

Text: Mr. Christensen alleges that, on January 28, 2008, while incarcerated at the Big Horn County Jail, he started vomiting and spitting up blood and noticed blood in his stool. He experienced “extreme pain in [his] throat, stomach, and guts [and was] unable to eat or drink.” Complaint (R. vol. 1 doc. 4) at 4. Two days later, he was examined by defendant Nurse Eva and told her about his symptoms. Id. 1 As to defendant “Nurse Eva,” the court also concluded that Mr. Christensen had failed to provide sufficient information to allow service of the complaint. In light of our disposition of this claim on the merits, we need not consider this alternative basis for dismissal. -2- “All she did was take [his] pulse and blood pressure by hand,” noting they were “normal.” Id. She said that she would talk to a doctor, but never did. Id. On January 31, 2008, Mr. Christensen filed a grievance with jail officials about the lack of medical care, and sent a letter about the issue to the office of the United States Marshal in Billings, Montana. Id. at 4A. That afternoon, Nurse Eva examined him in the presence of Jail Sergeant Tony Harrison, again taking his blood pressure and pulse by hand and finding them to be normal. Id. That evening, Sergeant Harrison transferred Mr. Christensen out of the general jail population into an isolation cell in the booking area. Id. The next afternoon, another jail officer noticed blood on Mr. Christensen’s washcloth and asked about it. Id. After Mr. Christensen explained his symptoms, the officer contacted local hospital personnel and followed their recommendation to take Mr. Christensen’s pulse and blood pressure, using the device kept for this purpose in the jail medical station. Id. Getting “extremely high” readings, jail personnel transported Mr. Christensen to the hospital emergency room, where a doctor determined that his esophagus was torn and bleeding. Id. The doctor prescribed Carafate to be used for three days to promote scabbing of the throat, and Prilosec, evidently to reduce stomach acid and prevent additional esophageal damage. Id. The doctor also recommended that Mr. Christensen maintain an elevated position. Id. at 4B. Mr. Christensen was returned to the general jail -3- population and issued a second mattress to help comply with the doctor’s recommendation regarding elevation. Id. at 4A-4B. Mr. Christensen continued to have stomach complaints, and jail officials put him on a bland diet. Id. at 4A; see also id. at 4B (noting Mr. Christensen’s complaints about variety and caloric content of bland diet). Over the next ten days, he reported that he had blood in his stool and was spitting up blood, symptoms that were monitored and confirmed by jail officials. Id. at 4A. On February 14, 2008, Sergeant Harrison confiscated Mr. Christensen’s second mattress. Id. at 4B. Within two days, however, another officer reissued it to him. Id. Also on February 14, Nurse Eva extended the Carafate medication for his throat without examining him and without obtaining permission from the doctor who had issued the initial prescription. Id. Five weeks later, he was transferred to the Yellowstone County Detention Center in Billings, Montana. Id. At that time, his throat was “still scabbed up and hurting” and he “still ha[d] stomach and gut issues not addressed.” Id. Finally, in addition to the above allegations specifically relating to the treatment received by Mr. Christensen, his pleadings also complain in more general terms about the medical care available to all inmates at the Big Horn County Jail. He alleges that the jail is inadequate because it does not have full time medical staff, necessitating the use of non-medical personnel to dispense medication and make (unspecified) medical decisions. Id. at 4C. -4-