|Articles|January 18, 2010

Surgical Tech Who Infected 36 With Hepatitis C Pleads Guilty

The Associated Press is reporting today that surgical technician Kristen Diane Parker, who has been charged with switching used syringes for those filled with the painkiller fentanyl while working at two different healthcare facilities in Colorado, has pleaded guilty. As many as 36 patients have contracted hepatis C and many others may have been exposed to the virus via the contaminated syringes.

Authorities say she is expected to receive a sentence of 20 years in prison. At a hearing, Parker described for prosecutors how she evaded a hospital's drug screening process and began stealing drugs as she coped with a heroin addiction. To read the rest of the article, CLICK HERE.


Related to this article

A brightly lit Hospital operating room, a surgical team wearing gowns and masks.  (Adobe Stock 1790696595 by Damian)
Turnover pressure can leave critical OR cleaning steps unfinished. Karen deKay, MSN, RN, EBP-C, CNOR, CIC, FAPIC, examines common gaps in environmental hygiene and how shared responsibilities, attention to disinfectant contact time, and ongoing education can help teams strengthen practices between cases.
Infection preventionists in full PPE with children in DRC.  (Image credit: author with AI)
Nearly 4 months into the DRC's Bundibugyo virus disease outbreak, some indicators suggest transmission may be slowing. But shifting hotspots, treatment-center capacity problems, community deaths, and incomplete surveillance data show why national case totals alone cannot determine whether containment has been achieved.
Health care workers from the US speaking with other health care workers in DRC.  (Image credit: author with AI)
Is the Ebola outbreak in the DRC getting better? The answer depends on which numbers you examine. Several important indicators are moving in the right direction, including slower case growth and a declining Rₜ. But major gaps remain in contact tracing, testing, community deaths, safe burial coverage, and treatment capacity in some of the hardest-hit areas. ICT takes a deeper look at the latest outbreak data and why the numbers suggest cautious optimism, not victory.