^{April 1, 2022}

Dear Nursing Colleague:

Like many of you, we have been closely watching the outcome of the RaDonda Vaught trial in Tennessee.

Following this verdict, ABPANC fully supports the American Nurses Association and the Tennessee Nurses Association Statement in Response to the Conviction of Nurse RaDonda Vaught.

The nursing profession has spent years transforming and creating a culture of safety that promotes healthcare workers willingly reporting errors. Nurses working in a just culture understand that reporting errors is a critical component of learning and preventing future patient harm. Through a culture of safety we humbly identify, evaluate and determine gaps in care and processes that have led to errors. This transparency and evaluation allows us to determine causation and truly examine the entire system of care. Criminalizing mistakes has a catastrophic impact to patient safety and will only serve to amplify an already strained staffing crisis.

Perianesthesia nurses work in high stress/high stakes circumstances. This verdict will have a devastating effect on our profession. We are saddened by the jury’s decision and for the great loss experienced by all involved.

On behalf of the ABPANC Board of Directors,
Lynn Nolan, MSN, RN, CPAN, CAPA, NEA-BC
2022 ABPANC Board President