Report: Poor Communication, Inadequate Hospital Policies Led to Botched Kidney Transplant at UTMC

A report released by the Ohio Department of Health cited poor communication and supervision as well as inadequate policies as contributing factors to a botched transplant in August, according to a WNWO report.

Details from the report reveal a nurse threw away a donated kidney that was placed in a slush machine for preservation during her lunch break. The nurse in question did not ask what had occurred during her break, nor did any colleague update her on the status of the donated organ. As a result, the nurse proceeded to discard the slushy contents, which included the kidney that was meant for a patient with end-stage renal disease.

A part-time nurse, who was initially suspended, resigned. Soon after, another nurse was terminated. The leading surgeon in charge of transplantation was stripped of his title as surgical director of renal transplantation, though he still practices on staff at the hospital.

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