Report Faults Hospital For Marine's Death (Tampa, FL VA)

Tampa Tribune ^ | 6-3-05 | Richard Lardner

[STARWISE]

TAMPA - A young Marine who died while being treated at Tampa's James A. Haley VA Medical Center did not receive adequate care from staff who failed to recognize the severity of his condition, the U.S. Veterans Affairs Department concluded in a report released Thursday.

An investigation by VA's inspector general acknowledged that Lance Cpl. Jonathan Gadsden arrived at Haley ``highly compromised'' by blast injuries suffered in Iraq.

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Before Gadsden's admission at Haley in late September, ``there had been insufficient staff training to deal with the multifaceted issues'' exclusive to patients wounded by roadside bombs and other crude weapons, the report said.

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Gadsden, 21, died Oct. 22 of bacterial meningitis, two months after sustaining severe injuries to his head, chest, abdomen and back when his Humvee hit an improvised explosive device in Al Anbar province, according to the June 1 report.

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Between the time Gadsden was injured and his transfer to Haley, he received care at medical facilities in Iraq, Germany, and the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.

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When Gadsden got to Haley, ``he was alert, cooperative, and oriented to person, place, month and year,'' the report said.

A week later, Gadsden's condition had worsened. His white blood cell count was elevated and he had a fever. A doctor prescribed antibiotics by phone and visited Gadsden's bedside the next day. This would be ``the only documented visit any infectious diseases physician'' would make until Gadsden had a cardiopulmonary arrest Oct. 19.

According to the inspector general, a more thorough review by the infectious diseases staff may have led to the discovery of the acinetobacter, a bacteria found in the soil in Iraq that can enter the body through dirty battlefield wounds.

[American Vet Repairman]

"My sister is a nurse in the VA system. She has told me some sad stories over the years."


The media can do a 5 hour series on the incompetency and the unethical and illegal conduct in the VA and not talk about the same thing twice. After decades in the system I have come to a conclusion. Nobody with power to fix the system gives a sh!t.