The 2001 incident that occurred at Johns Hopkins hospital provoked the establishment of the Josie king's Foundation which emphasizes effective communication between the hospital staff, patients and family members (King, 2010). In 2001, a mother took her daughter with second-degree burns to the hospital after an accidental encounter with boiling water. This then saw the quick recovery of the girl; however, the day before Josie's homecoming dramatically changed the family's lives. This essay, therefore, aims at evaluating the case study of Josie's story to comprehensively review the factors that contributed to the young girl's death through an analysis of specific categories.
There are several categories analyzed to determine the exact cause of death of Josie as well as offer recommendations on the same. The first category focuses on the materials used to treat, diagnose and administer medication to the young child. Studies suggest that during the first few weeks of Josie's recovery, the family noticed the special attention accorded their beloved and hence felt safe and reassured through the care and equipment ( Kaprielian & Sullivan, 2013) . The materials used to treat Josie included, but not limited to, sterilized dressings and tubes that delivered both oxygen and food into her body. Thus said, this was played a significant role in promoting Josie's quick recovery which anticipated a homecoming party rather than a funeral.
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Additionally, there were both effective and ineffective methods used to handle the case. For example, the first few weeks at the hospital saw a great reception of concern and care from the doctors and nurses while there was the disregard for Josie's mother's worries on that last day. Several days were spent in the intensive care unit where as mentioned, Josie continuously receive specialized care as well as registered effective healing. However, the routine changed a few days after the transfer of the young girl to the wards as doctors seemed more distant and unavailable unlike before. This then prompted Josie's mother, Sorrel, to identify the notable differences in services. This essay would, therefore, recommend the education of nurses on the significance of addressing the patient’s concerns.
The machinery used, on the other hand, ranging from heart rate monitors, oxygen machines and the ventilator that gauged her breathing. Heart rate monitors serve two purposes; one of which is to record the real time state of the heart (King, 2002). The other function involves the allowance for the record of heart rates at a specific time for future study or reference. Even though the pediatric intensive care unit had better equipment and machinery, the hospital nurses transferred Josie to the lower level wards just weeks after notable recovery. This then was a grievous mistake on the part of the medical staff based on the fact that the quality of care was compromised upon transfer despite there being machines that continuously monitored the girl. It is, therefore, recommended that all hospital levels have a significant number of machinery that would help preserve the lives of children; specifically in the pediatric wing.
Josie, as a result of second-degree burns, required specific dosage. Such was prescribed by the doctor who later gave orders against the use of methadone. Ineffective communication, however, dictated that two days before Josie's homecoming would mark her last days as the nurses administered the same dosage. The required measurements of the needed liquid intake by the child as well as the specific medication that should be delivered to the same were poorly communicated hence leading to the ultimate death of Josie. Doctors advised against the intake of liquids by Josie even though the girl had begun showing symptoms of dehydration. A recommendation offered by this text involves the development and implementation of active communication channels for both the medical staff and patients.
Furthermore, the hospital environment significantly contributed to the lack of personalized care as well as the disregard for maternal instincts when Sorrel suggested that the nurses attend to Josie (Etherington, 2007). In their words, Josie was to wait her turn as they attended to multiple patients at once. Similarly, this failed to market the extent of their incompetence as medical practitioners as even upon examination of the child, several different nurses reassured Sorrel of the condition of the child. As mentioned above, the mother preferred the services administered in the pediatric intensive care unit and hence was against the transfer to the lower units. The environment in the lower unit dictated that Josie is attended to by nurses who intentionally disregarded Sorrel's concerns. A recommendation for this would involve the change in hospital policy to allow for flexibility in such situations.
As discussed above, the environment and the people involved played a role in the death of Josie. For example, the nurses ordered the transfer of the patient despite the concerns raised by the mother. Once on the assigned unit level, Sorrel began noticing changes in the child and hence demanded an examination of the same (King, 2010). After several reassurances and little contentment, Sorrel urged one of the nurses to allow Josie to drink some juice to which she responded positively. This then saw an improvement in the child; until the moment a nurse administered methadone against the mother's protests. The contributing factors to the death of Josie were, therefore, negligence and careless doctor errors as a result of faulty communication.
In conclusion, the death of Josie was avoidable had the doctors and nurses continued the level of competence depicted in the intensive care unit. Additionally, the text has comprehensively addressed the contributing factors to the death of Josie; hence the identification of the same as the specific factors that led to the end of the young girl. Recommendations offered would involve policy change and the implementation of upgraded communication systems that would allow for effective communication regardless of the state of the hospital. Similarly, the interaction between patients and the physicians is crucial as the nurses who disregarded Sorrel's concerns about her daughter's condition would have paid further attention to the same.
References
Etherington, K. (2007). Trauma, drug misuse and transforming identities: A life story approach . Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Kaprielian, V. S., & Sullivan, D. T. (2013). Josie's Story: A Patient Safety Curriculum . Duke University School of Medicine.
King, S. (2002). Josie King Story.
King, S. (2010). Josie's story . Grove/Atlantic, Inc...
