A former DaVita nurse charged with injecting two patients with bleach in April told police detectives she drew up bleach in a syringe to measure for a cleaning solution, stated an arrest affidavit filed Friday.
In an interview with detectives April 29, the day DaVita says it fired her from its Lufkin clinic, Kimberly Saenz, a 34-year-old licensed vocation nurse from Pollok, said she administered saline to a patient and that she documented it on the patient's chart, the affidavit stated.
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SAENZ
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"She also admitted that she had administered saline to (a patient) because her venous chamber was clotting during her dialysis, and claimed she charted this on (the patient's) chart," the report stated. "A check of (the) chart revealed that Kimberly Saenz did not chart giving her anything."
There was no indication in the affidavit of whether Saenz specified if bleach was in the saline solution she administered. Both patients survived, police said.
Police detectives arrested Saenz late Friday afternoon, charging her with two counts of aggravated assault — a second-degree felony offense.
Saenz, who was fired by DaVita April 29, was arrested by Lufkin police later that day on a charge of public intoxication, according to jail records.
"This is the individual who we terminated immediately upon becoming aware of these isolated, deceptive and horrible actions that have now been formally alleged by the Lufkin Police Department," said DaVita spokesman Michael Chee. "We are grateful to the Lufkin Police Department and state and federal authorities for their work on this case and hope that this individual is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. It is unfortunate that until this point this issue could not be publicly discussed, which meant our Lufkin dialysis center caregivers have endured understandable but unfair criticism."
The nurse's bond has been set at $200,000 on both counts with a bond condition stating she is not allowed to work in a medical environment, care for patients or dispense medication upon making bail, said Angelina County Justice of the Peace Judge Billy Ball.
The criminal charges come amid a local, state and federal health investigation at DaVita Lufkin Dialysis Center, 700 S. John Redditt Drive, which closed its doors April 28 after a recent spike in patient deaths and complications.
Detectives obtained a warrant for Saenz's arrest Friday after finding evidence at the facility, said police spokesman Lt. David Young.
"Two witnesses reported seeing Saenz draw bleach into syringes and inject the substance into two of the dialysis lines connected to two different patients on April 28, 2008," Young stated in a press release. "Both victims suffered injury after having bleach injected into their systems and one of them required treatment at a hospital for pain and medical complications caused by the injection."
Blood tests of one patient who was admitted to a local hospital following the April 28 incident showed the patient had "an elevated LDH as well as hemolyzation, which could be indicative of a caustic agent, such as bleach, being introduced into the bloodstream," the affidavit stated.
Forensic testing on the syringes and dialysis lines used on the patients showed bleach had been used, the release stated.
Chee said he would not answer questions specific to the police investigation.
"Because (the arrest allegations are) according to the police and they cited an ongoing investigation, we are not going to be able to comment specifically," Chee said "We have not discussed details of the investigation with police directly."
Chee said he could not say how long Saenz had worked for the company because of privacy concerns.
DaVita has said it believes an employee intentionally caused the death of four patients at its Lufkin facility at 700 S. John Redditt Drive. Saenz has not been charged with any patient deaths at the facility and police have not indicated if any charges will be filed against Saenz in connection to patient deaths, although Young said police are continuing the investigation and that additional criminal charges may be filed in the future.
Saenz's attorney, John Henry Tatum, was not immediately available for comment Friday.
Jessica Savage's e-mail address
is jsavage@coxnews.com.
Comments
By An oldtime patient
Oct 11, 2008 7:37 PM | Link to this
I've been on and off dialysis for 37 yrs. and in the last 10 yrs. through the same company. Which has been bought by DaVita. It's been only a few years now and there has been the usual up & downs that you get at any job. But our care givers are the best and I've come to know them as my friends. These people are caring and get concerned when I am ill. If there is a problem, then look at the individual that's causing it. The Bible says to not listen to those who are mutters meaning people that complain all the time and are just not happy. As a patient, I hear everything, and most of it is about each other. The Techs. and the nurses. I'm sorry that me being ill is a source of your problems, but we do have our own and if we don't meet your goals- oh well! I realize there are those patients that are impossible to work with, please remember that they aren't happy about thier circumstances.
By urbandjazz1
Oct 2, 2008 4:14 PM | Link to this
DaVita is indeed very money hungry!! They would not
support me on a physical threat from a patient.
Can not in good faith work for a company that would not
support me. Now working for FMC.
By Action needs to be made
Sep 18, 2008 12:46 PM | Link to this
This company is the worst. Trust me I know because I worked for them and they are a bunch of evil, coniving, money hungry people (Davita). Everything that I've read from articles and as well as from family members of patients that belong to Davita facilities all say the same thing. The state has also stated that they're basically always non compliant with the state. And that is true because I've done research about Davita in other states and they're all saying the same thing. We need to come together and put them out of business because patients are not getting the proper care. And the patients are paying their salaries and just making the big wigs of Davita richer and it's not fair. The unit I worked in New York is horrible and another unit has just closed down in New York as well. Please everyone come together and makea public stand to the media so the whole nation could know what Davita is all about. I will be making a stand to my state governor as well as the media real soon.
By Delia
Aug 21, 2008 8:19 PM | Link to this
What is going on with this situation? Is this nurse being charged, being let go or what? I would like an update.
By wow gold
Aug 6, 2008 1:49 AM | Link to this
wow gold
wow gold
By wow gold
Aug 6, 2008 1:42 AM | Link to this
wow gold
wow gold
By ex tech indiana
Jul 30, 2008 10:56 AM | Link to this
Obviously only the first line of my comment was read because i go on to explain that I cannot live my life being pissed for there decision on there own choice for there life. But i do get upset that i try and try to explain to them the bad decisions they make will ultimatly kill them. The resentment I feel I guess I should say is more towards other staff because of there lack of care for patients and there love for money, as well as higher up davita employees who do not actually work in a facility with these people, make it impossible for the pts to hear my voice because everyone else around us few caring staff is saying who cares just make sure your here and on time so we don't have any delays and you better not have any problems or will be really mad at you.
By concerned
Jul 29, 2008 11:18 AM | Link to this
There is no reason for resentment towards patients. The patients are the reason you have a job. Resent the company that promises you something that they know you will never get. If you are just there for the money you are in the wrong place. Sure, everyone goes to work to get a paycheck, but if that is the ONLY reason you go to work, you need to find another field to work in. Healthcare is no place for you. Love of money is what caused all of this in the first place. DaVita and their greed, not wanting to spend money where it needs to be spent and cutting corners that shouldn't be cut.
By another one
Jul 28, 2008 9:40 PM | Link to this
"Would we feel slight resentment to patients that do not meet there goals and affect the bonus" "a little sure!"
And, this tells it all. Patient care driven by bonuses? Resentment towards patients! Thanks for your honesty. If this is prevalent a closer look is warranted.
By ex tech to professional
Jul 27, 2008 11:15 AM | Link to this
Would we feel slight resentment to patients that do not meet there goals and affect the bonus? a little sure! but they are, for the most part, adults they will do as they wish. It is our job to take care of them while there at treatment and educate them on the decisions they should be making with there diets and meds. But, again they are adults and it helps me to sleep knowing I at least tried instead of being pissed off about there "own life" decision they have made. Regardless of all that, the matter is I never felt that good about caring for these patients because Davita wouldn't give me that time to properly care for them! Because of this we were making there condition worse rather than better. If they feel we don't care and were pushing them aside then why should they care. Are push aside, scream at them for making a wrong decision attitude gives them the same reaction. They think fine then i might as well push my care aside to because if "professional's" are doing it why can't I?!?
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