By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – A lawsuit has been filed against Morton General Hospital on behalf of an elderly woman who was discharged from its emergency room with two boxes of enemas and a misdiagnosis of constipation and died days later.
Gertrude Tibbetts was taken to the hospital with severe abdominal pain where she was given an injection of pain medication, and an X-ray and then released against her wishes a little more than an hour later.
“She was screaming in agony, stating ‘I can’t believe you are sending me home, you are killing me. No one survives pain like this’,” an attorney for her daughter states in court documents.
The visit to the East Lewis County public hospital was Feb. 26, 2010. Tibbetts, 96, was residing at a Morton nursing home so she and her daughter Jane E. Jones could spend more time together, the attorney wrote.
The attorney stated, when the nurse handed the boxes with enemas to the Heritage House representative, she asked why they couldn’t be administered at hospital. The nurse replied, the lawyer wrote, “What? Do you want a blow out in the van?” and three nurses burst out laughing while Tibbetts was screaming in the background.
The complaint filed in Lewis County Superior Court earlier this month for medical malpractice and wrongful death names the hospital, Dr. Thomas Calderon and three unknown nurses.
Tibbetts was brought back to the hospital the following day when the laxatives were ineffective and then transferred to Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia. There, doctors discovered she was suffering with peritonitis due to small bowel obstruction and perforation as well as kidney failure. She was given comfort measures and died Mar 2, 2010.
“For her age, Gertrude Tibbetts was a remarkable and strong woman who was cognitively bright, and full of life, personality and humor,” the Puyullap-based attorney Talis Abolins wrote.
Abolins alleges the hospital failed when it failed to admit her, and failed to provide appropriate evaluation and care.
“She suffered tremendous pain and suffering, humiliation and fear of her impending death in the hours and days that followed,” the attorney wrote.
Multiple messages left requesting comment from hospital administrators yesterday were unreturned. Attempts to reach Calderon were unsuccessful. The parties have 20 days to respond in court to the lawsuit.
Calderon was informally disciplined by the state Medical Quality Assurance Commission for his evaluation of the patient’s condition.
He agreed to two years of probation and to undertake extra education in exchange for the commission not continuing to pursue charges of incompetence, negligence or malpractice, according to documents filed with the state Department of Health.
The commission alleged that after ordering the shot of pain medication and an X-ray which was unrevealing, Calderon did not perform a subsequent examination of Tibbetts, according to the documents.
The stipulation agreement – signed March 11, 2011 – indicated he should be sanctioned at a level comparable to practicing below the standard of care, related to causing unnecessary pain, stating the failure may not have caused the death since early discovery may not have saved her life.
The doctor did not admit any of the commission’s allegations, but was cooperative, had no previous disciplinary action since being licensed in Washington in 1998 and was released from his probation this past March.
The allegations by the commission note the patient reported her pain level as 20 on a scale of one to 10, while nurses recorded it at 10; and at discharge, the patient described her pain as a seven or eight.
The lawsuit seek damages in an amount to “be proven at trial.”
Among the reimbursements sought are medical bills of about $6,800 from Morton General Hospital and almost $16,000 from Providence St. Peter Hospital.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
Valley View medical is doing the same thing to members of our community on s daily basis. They refuse to treat pain at any level. I cant wait until their sued out of town next.
After the experiences I’ve had @ Morton Gen. I would caution everyone to please drive the extra miles to a facility that actually cares about it’s patients. Almost every ER visit has resulted in nothing but wasted time, money and added pain for my entire family … First my brother suffered a severe anxiety attack and they diagnosed him as being dehydrated and exhausted. After there were minor trips here and there, stitches, stomach flu etc … When we moved closer to town, during the move I picked up some heavy boxes and I felt an excruciating snap in my back and couldn’t even get off the floor, my husband had to carry me into the hospital. Said it was just a pulled muscle did nothing and sent me home, still not able to even walk out. Went to Centralia the following day, actually had a pinched nerve and got a steroid shot and some anti inflammatories. The second time I went myself was for when I had a slip and fall, requested been taken to Centralia but could only transport me to Morton. Again misdiagnosed as muscle pain. Was discharged and immediately went to Centralia where I was put on crutches and told that both MCL’s were in fact sprung, giving meds to help me through the pain, inflammation, and set me up with a dr. to help with follow up. And the last straw was when my husband (a disabled vet with medical documents to prove his condition) had a fluid build up on his knee, usually the VA gives him a corticosteroid injection, they took an xray and just told him it wasn’t broken or dislocated.. NO KIDDING?! We told them exactly what it was and what they needed to do, but said they didn’t agree and sent him home!!!! They treat all their patients like pill seeking drug addicts, even during my first visit ever to any hospital in Washington State! I complained numerous times, with no avail to any assurance .. Not so much as a call to acknowledge the complaints! So glad we moved as far away from this hellhole as we possibly could! Healthcare is important to me, I’m accident prone. I need to know I can trust them literally with my life, and Morton has never and will never offer me that security. Good Riddance!!!!!
@ long time resident………you realize the Dr on duty at the time has faced the medical board, and was reprimanded. This generally doesnt occur without just cause, or from a false allegations. Whatever took place, that Dr was held accountable.
You may very well have had a delightful time @ MGH, as have many people that I am personally aware of. I am also personally aware of many who have not. This is true for any medical facility, which is why they call it practice. What happened to Ms. Tibbitts and her family is horrendous, and regardless of your personal opinion of MGH, and they too need to be held accountable for what was likely an unnecessary death. The hospitals OWN their doctors by way of contracts, and therefor OWN their negligence as well.
Let me start by saying that my experiences at Morton have always been good ones. I know A LOT of people would say the same. I understand that losing someone to what is felt to be unnecessary or the result of negligence is painful. I lost my mom due to a misdiagnosis (Providence Hospital Centralia). Which only proves that the medical field is called a practice for a reason.
I think that it is important to mention that no matter where you go for medical treatment you will encounter an issue of negligence or malpractice. I had a friend who went to St. Peters Hospital in Olympia, she was treated like a number and told that her severe pain was all in her head…. Providence discovered a ruptured cyst in her ovary… something St.Pete’s should have easily discovered. I personally had a bad experience at Centralia. My inexperienced nurse panicked when we lost the heartbeat of my unborn child. She ran from the room. The doctor that came in assist, was mad for having been called in, and treated me like I was putting a damper on her day. She was rude. And by the time my daughter was delivered she was blue and unresponsive. She was revived and placed in an incubator, and then the doctor left the room, like she was in a hurry to get out of there for other plans.
It’s also important to take what you hear and read with the knowledge that there are two sides to every story. Nobody can say for sure what was said or what in fact happened or what was done or not done. I find it sad that so many people jump quick to judge on a single alleged incident and fail to recognize all the lives saved and aliments treated with great success.
I think it is important to remember that we are only hearing one side of the story, most likely from the attorney of the Plaintiff. I’m sure the ER will not release a statement due to the pending lawsuit.
As for my child, I can assure you it was much more than the “sniffles”. I’m sure you only resorted to name calling because you were having a hard time articulating what was on your mind, and I don’t hold that against you.
This article is a tragedy. That is for certain. But for you sir to ASSume that the lady in previous post child automaticallty had the “sniffles” just shows what kind of arrogant ass you are. She never stated that. Most people take their kids to the doctor for that kind of sickness. But I guess since you know everything on your soap box who am I to judge. A lady passed but do you scrutinize the others who are being selfish about bringing up their encounters for sympathy? No. Death is hard, and this circumstance is even harder. You have no right to attack another person and call a child who you don’t know a “brat”. That sir, shows YOU have no class.
These apologists think that just because a hospital is good at putting bandages on boo boos, it should be overlooked if a death ever occur!!!
“For every one complaint there are countless numbers of thankful people.”
Having a MILLION people’s kids with the ‘sniffles’ and coming out alive is great.
But it DOES NOT EXCUSE THE UNECESSARY DEATH OF A POOR OLD ELDERLY WOMAN!!!
Saying you heard something from a beauty salon is like saying you googled your symptoms and you are for certain you have a certain ailment. It must be true then…..hmmm. Accusations such as that could lead to someone losing their job, or losing their livelihood. I hope it’s not just hear say. As for the hospital. How many countless lives has it saved? There are people who send flowers month after month to the hospital to show their gratitude for what the hospital had done for their families. Don’t be to quick to judge. For every one complaint there are countless numbers of thankful people.
You come onto a blog with the title “Morton hospital sued for unnecessary pain, death of 96-year-old patient” to congratulate the hospital??
What kind of sick f’k are you?
Yeah, Morton General was really good treating your little brat’s sniffles. This article is about the unnecessary, and most likely LEGLIGENT, death of a poor little old lady.
You should be ashamed of yourself ‘commoncents’. You prove that Lewis County still has class.
I would like to thank Morton ER for the great care they provided to my son when he was taken there. They were friendly and professional. I would also like to thank them for the countless other friends and family members that have been treated there.
My experiences at moron have niy one been pleasant…I wouldnt go their for a stubbed toe… its embarrassing how the only hospital for at least an hour is the most poorly runned place … Dr.Ford didn’t even touch my son when we went there and told is he had a bug bite… we went to centralia he was on antibiotics for 6 hours and it was a spider bite severely infected… Could have lost his leg… All because some better than…In a hurry so called Dr. Wants u out of his hair… Hopefully soon someone will see the malpractice…..
I am the daughter of Gertrude s. Tibbetts, the 96 year old woman who was mistreated at MGH, which ended up causing her death.Thank you all for your comments and experiences. I live in Packwood, WA. listed under Randy and Jane Jones. I knew that I was not alone in my plight. My mom would have turned 100 years old on 8/09/13. That was stolen away from her by a man that decided that she had lived long enough. I am an advocate for the rights of our senior citizens. No one has the right to make that decision. When I loose a pet, my vet calls me and sends a card to express his condolences. When your mother dies, you get nothing from the doctor responsible, not even “I am sorry”
We can’t retire here, as planned. We need to know we can get good health care when needed.
I am sorry so many of us have had unpleasant experiences. We need to make some changes. Thank you all again for sharing…Jane Jones
Karma karma karma,,,,,,,,,,, only thing is not enough heads have rolled yet. Some who should be let go are still there. One would only wonder why?
I had an experience at MGH after a car accident where I was completely caught off guard when they asked both my husband and myself (as we sat on the same bed) if we wanted “medicine” – I had severe whiplash and he had a sprained knee. This was after a nurse or aid had almost pulled the wheel chair right out from under him when they were taking him for an xray because she was too busy joking around with other staff members…
and another time after a severe working injury it took about 4 hours for them to get my husband transfered to trauma care in tacoma for surgery. He was in shock and bleeding the whole time – AND just before transport finally showed up – a nurse walked in and asked him if he wanted some more pain meds…had I not been standing there, they would have allowed him to be loaded into an ambulance with his pain medication worn off and a three hour ambulance ride in front of him….
I have been highly unimpressed with MGH since I’ve moved here! I tell people all the time not to go there!
He’s not the only horrible Dr there. Dr . Ford needs to lose his job as well. He has more complaints about him than any other Dr. And yes they did have a lot of people resign from there recently. They need to find some good doctor’s to work there. Pretty sad most of the people that live here drive to Tacoma,Olympia or Centralia hospital.
This has been happening for many years. 16 years ago I was released from there after having my son with severe pain. The nurse told me to quit complaining and get tough. I went home and after several days of not being able to stand up or sit down without yelling in pain I went to my ob/gyn and they did a simple urine test and discovered I had a severe kidney infection and a urinary tract infection. The sooner they close that place the better. I wouldn’t take my dog there.
Was the CEO of MGH removed? Just recently? I know some employees have been let go. Believe it if it came from local beauty shop.
The reason they are getting no response or comments when asked is the hospital board just removed the head CEO. His head is not the only one that rolled. There were several others and the Human Resourses Director was over heard in the local beauty shop explaining to the whole room some of the specifics of the rolling heads. Now I do believe that is or should be a Hippa violation. So this happened over a week ago why did I just hear it today??? Anybody else out there hear anything. It is pretty big news when a hospital board removes the head guy, don’tcha think?
Its about time! That bandaid station needs it doors closed!
I took my daughter to ER at Morton when she was 18 mo. old. Her breathing was eratic and was wheezing. They told me to take her home and that nothing was wrong with her. I refused to leave and told them to call Centralia ER. Thank God Dr.Pope was on duty, he said she has RSV [Respitory System Virus] and to get her to Centralia immediately. I wouldn’t take a dead animal to Morton Hospital/ER.
The on-call discharged me, 9 months pregnant, severe preeclampsia– blood pressures at 180/160, and told me I was being “paranoid.” Immediately went to Providence Centralia where an emergency c-section saved my very blue, distressed baby boy.. Miraculously, I didn’t stroke out and my son is alive today. MGH is a complete joke.
Its good that we have a hospital in Morton but I am personally not impressed by the doctors attitudes there. My personell encounter with the attending when I had my roommate transferred there with a bleeding ulcer left me wanting to throttle him. We had her transferred out the next day.