An investigation by ABC News 10 San Diego revealed that a surgery center near San Diego employed a nurse who was later found guilty in connection with the death of a former patient, the outlet reported Oct. 28.
Heather Lang Vass, RN, was reportedly employed at San Diego Outpatient Surgical Center in Kearny Mesa, Calif., for over a year before being sentenced to two years in prison in September. Ms. Vass pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, leading to the death of Megan Espinoza after a breast augmentation surgery at Divino Plastic Surgery clinic in Bonita, Calif.
Plastic surgeon Carlos Chacon, MD, was sentenced to three years after pleading guilty to manslaughter. According to the report, Ms. Vass administered an excessive and lethal dose of drugs to Ms. Espinoza, including fentanyl, Percocet and ketamine, despite not being authorized to administer anesthesia. She surrendered her nursing license as a result of the plea deal, but can eventually apply to have it reinstated.
Despite this, San Diego Outpatient Surgical Center hired Ms. Vass last summer as a quality assurance coordinator, which raised concerns among other employees who spoke to ABC News 10. Ms. Vass was allegedly working as a supervisor at the center, overseeing other nurses even after surrendering her license. One source provided video footage of Ms. Vass standing in scrubs near a patient experiencing a seizure post-surgery.
"We will confirm that Ms. Vass holds a master’s degree in nursing from Point Loma Nazarene University and [was] employed at San Diego Outpatient Surgical Center in an administrative support position, collecting, compiling and disseminating information," Susan Danielsen Raub, an administrator for SDOSC, said in an email to ABC News 10.
However, employees disputed this statement and told the outlet that Ms. Vass worked as a supervisor, managing nurses and other providers and at times involving herself in patient care.