Jury finds nurses are not responsible for camper’s death

A 14-year-old boy who was spending the summer at an overnight camp for children reported to the camp infirmary feeling faint, looking grey, and with cold hands and an irregular, pounding heartbeat. He felt dizzy while standing and although he felt better upon lying down, his irregular heartbeat was constant.

An hour after arriving at the infirmary the boy went into cardiac arrest. An hour and a half of resuscitation efforts at the camp, in the ambulance and at the hospital were unsuccessful.

The plaintiffs and their experts claimed that earlier intervention and hospitalization would have prevented the cardiac arrest or allowed for resuscitation and recovery.

The nurses contended that the camper died as a result of a cardiac arrest from an unknown underlying heart defect, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

They claimed that his medical records indicated he was a healthy boy with no medical issues and his symptoms, including the irregular heartbeat, were not severe for a supposedly healthy boy. They claimed that this was true especially because the boy’s dizziness and color improved when he was lying down; he remained alert, oriented and conversant at all times prior to the cardiac arrest; and he did not have symptoms of chest pain or shortness of breath.

Besides the estate, the plaintiffs were the boy’s sister, who was present when her brother went into cardiac arrest, and his parents, who were at the hospital when he was pronounced dead. The defendants were two nurses at the summer camp.

The demand started at $6 million. At the suggestion of the defense, mediation was attempted but was unsuccessful. The demand never dropped below $3.5 million.

Following a two-and-a-half-week trial that included expert testimony from a cardiologist, an ER physician and multiple registered nurses, the jury deliberated eight hours over two days before returning a verdict in favor of the nurses.

Type of action: Medical malpractice

Injuries alleged: Wrongful death

Date: Oct. 22, 2009

Submitted by: Ethan Warren, Warren, Hensley & Bowen, Boston