Opinion ID: 1168689
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: presuspension relationships

Text: Before his suspension, Ritter had been having some differences with the then Hospital Administrator, David Gleason. Gleason forwarded nurses' complaints regarding Ritter to the executive committee of the medical staff. After meeting with Ritter, the staff made recommendations to the nursing staff; no action was taken against Ritter. However, friction between Gleason and Ritter continued. In June 1978, Gleason resigned. Ray McRae was appointed administrator. Nurse Carlson was directed at that time to assist in helping correct the situation with Ritter. The Board gave McRae specific instructions to cooperate with Ritter. At The Board meeting in early July 1978, McRae reported that everyone was getting along well. On July 24, 1978, Ritter successfully performed a tubal ligation under local anesthetic without a full surgery crew. Ritter, in an apparent effort to cut costs, had determined that he did not need a full crew, although the supervisor of nurses felt the procedure was major surgery and required a qualified assistant. At that time, the District had no written rule or regulation which either defined major surgery or established when a full surgery crew was needed. When Nurse Carlson learned that Ritter was proceeding with only the assistance of his medex, she assisted Ritter in the operation. McRae learned of the tubal ligation incident on July 25. McRae immediately ordered that no more operations be performed at the Hospital unless a full surgery crew was present. Ritter abided by the new requirement, performing six surgical procedures without any reported problems between July 24 and August 17.