Why nurses kill.

Area of Science:

• Medical Ethics
• Forensic Nursing
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Over the past 25 years, at least 1000 patient deaths have been attributed to nurses globally.
• Despite the significant number of fatalities, effective methods for identifying nurses who pose a risk to patients remain elusive.
• This highlights a critical gap in patient safety protocols within the healthcare system.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the persistent challenge of identifying nurses who commit patient murder.
• To underscore the lack of progress in developing predictive tools or strategies to prevent such crimes.
• To emphasize the ongoing threat to patient safety posed by undetected perpetrators within the nursing profession.

Main Methods:

• This study is a review of reported cases and existing literature on nurses convicted of patient murder.
• Analysis of trends and commonalities in cases over the last 25 years.
• Assessment of current institutional and professional safeguards.

Main Results:

• A minimum of 1000 patients have been murdered by nurses worldwide in the last quarter-century.
• There has been no discernible improvement in the ability to identify or intercept nurses before they commit homicidal acts.
• Existing screening and monitoring systems have proven insufficient in preventing these occurrences.

Conclusions:

• The nursing profession faces a critical, unresolved issue regarding patient safety and the identification of individuals who commit murder.
• There is an urgent need for innovative approaches and enhanced vigilance to protect patients from harm by healthcare providers.
• Failure to address this problem proactively perpetuates a significant risk within healthcare settings.