Former Vanderbilt Nurse Sentenced To Probation In Patient’s Death

A former Vanderbilt University Medical Center nurse found guilty in March of criminally negligent homicide and gross neglect of an impaired adult after she accidentally gave 75-year-old Charlene Murphey the wrong medication, has been sentenced to three years of probation. Davidson County criminal court Judge Jennifer Smith on Friday granted RaDonda Vaught a judicial diversion, which means her conviction will be expunged if she completes a three-year probation. Vaught, age 38, apologized to the family of Charlene Murphey and said she will be forever haunted by the mistake she made in 2017.  In passing the sentence the Judge cited Vaught’s remorse and that she reported her error as soon as she realized what she had done.  Vaught, who was stripped of her nursing license, has received strong support from other nurses around the country who say what happened to Vaught could happen to them because of poor staffing in hospitals where they work.   Many nurses have chosen to leave the profession while others are demanding healthcare reforms.