Hope Medical Group for Women

Clinic is Closed

• Systemic issues with anesthesia at this clinic, year after year
• Staff had no documentation of training or competency for anesthesia administration. A nonlicensed administrator “went over the dosages and how to calculate them”. That was the extent of the training.
• There was no evaluation of competency in the nurse’s files to ensure they were proficient in compounding medications
• The facility failed to have a policy and procedure in place related to time limits for storing the compounded Lidocaine/Vasopressin medications.
• No physician’s order for anesthesia administered in patient’s medical record.
• Review of the personnel file for “operating room technician” revealed her prior work history was with a portrait studio at a national department store chain and a restaurant. A form titled “Operating Room Training Schedule”, dated 07/15/08, included training for operating room and nitrous/oxygen set up. Interview with the tech revealed when asked who was the person who trained her, she replied, the Clinic Director (not a licensed professional), and another unlicensed non-professional performing duties of an operating room technician. She stated that this was the only training she had received. 
• The facility failed to ensure each patient’s level of consciousness, respiratory and cardiovascular status was monitored during and after the administration of intravenous medications and during the administration of inhalation gas agents used during the abortion procedure. 
• The corrective action by the facility was to stop administering nitrous oxide and IV medications rather than hire a nurse who is qualified to administer anesthesia. 
• Medical director (a physician) had not conducted in service training with the staff in over 2 years. –
• There was no physical examination completed and signed by the physician on 100% of the charts reviewed by inspectors.
• Unlicensed, untrained, and unqualified staff were administering anesthesia for abortion procedures and did not monitor the patient for adverse reactions.