Opinion ID: 777261
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Nurse Owens

Text: 39 There is also an existing issue of fact regarding whether Nurse Owens' actions towards the decedent constitute a finding of deliberate indifference, when analyzed under the grossly inadequate care. Like the aforementioned defendants, Nurse Owens was also aware of the numerous health risks confronting the decedent, including his obesity, diabetes, hypertension and increased risk of heat stroke. She also knew that the decedent needed supervision when he left the ward. Moreover, Nurse Owens was also aware of the extreme heat and humidity on the day of the decedent's death. Despite her knowledge of this information, Nurse Owens referred the decedent to off-ward activities without supervision, on an unusually hot and humid day and in direct contravention to NRPH's own policy. As a result of Nurse Owens' careless actions, the decedent was permitted to go outdoors unsupervised, over-exert himself, and collapsed after being outside in the extreme heat. 40 Additionally, Nurse Owens' took other actions with regard to the decedent's serious medical needs. Despite her knowledge of the decedent's susceptibility to heat stroke, Nurse Owens failed to equip the decedent's ward with proper medical equipment, such as ice, an ice water enema, and a rectal thermometer. In addition, Nurse Owens, acting together with Dr. Lee, failed to immediately seek alternate medical assistance in light of Dr. Said's delayed response to the STAT page. Nurse Owens' delayed response also cost the decedent time, during which he could have received medical care which might have saved his life. Taken in the aggregate, Nurse Owens' actions could constitute a finding of deliberate indifference to the decedent's serious medical needs because a jury could possibly decide that a reasonable nurse, in Nurse Owens' position, would have concluded that a substantial risk of serious harm to the decedent existed.