Are Veterans Administration hospitals the perfect hunting ground for serial killers? That's one of the provocative suggestions in former VA special investigator Bruce Sackman's new book, "Behind the Murder Curtain."
Often, patients are isolated and vulnerable, with visits from family members few and far between.
In a chilling image, Sackman writes that most hospital killings occur behind "The murder curtain" surrounding a patient's bed.
"When the ward was empty of other personnel," Sackman writes, Gilbert "Would pull the bedside curtain around her. She would then inject the patient with a fatal dose of the drug." In an attention-seeking twist, Gilbert would often be on hand when the patient "Coded"-began to go into cardiac arrest and die-taking seemingly heroic measures to save her victim.
In the Gilbert investigation, Sackman writes, "We would need to count those missing bottles of epinephrine, prove that Gilbert had access to them, prove they were administered to the patients in question, and finally, prove they died from those injections. We had to paint a picture for the jury that, given the opportunity and the resources, Kristen Gilbert would draw the curtain around her patient, and for the thrill and glory, administer a dose of fatal poison."
Nurses are Sackman's heroes, on the front lines of patient care night and day.
Is there an increased rate of patient deaths connected to the suspect? Does he work a late-night shift and frequently is alone with patients? Is the patient's death unexpected and attributed to a "Catchall like cardiac arrest?" Are "Sudden-death" chemicals available on the ward? Do colleagues have concerns about the suspect? Was the suspect with the patient before the patient's death? Do records of prior employment show questionable incidents? Does an initial review by management find insufficient evidence to proceed?
https://www.judicialwatch.org/bulletins/the-murder-curtain/
Often, patients are isolated and vulnerable, with visits from family members few and far between.
In a chilling image, Sackman writes that most hospital killings occur behind "The murder curtain" surrounding a patient's bed.
"When the ward was empty of other personnel," Sackman writes, Gilbert "Would pull the bedside curtain around her. She would then inject the patient with a fatal dose of the drug." In an attention-seeking twist, Gilbert would often be on hand when the patient "Coded"-began to go into cardiac arrest and die-taking seemingly heroic measures to save her victim.
In the Gilbert investigation, Sackman writes, "We would need to count those missing bottles of epinephrine, prove that Gilbert had access to them, prove they were administered to the patients in question, and finally, prove they died from those injections. We had to paint a picture for the jury that, given the opportunity and the resources, Kristen Gilbert would draw the curtain around her patient, and for the thrill and glory, administer a dose of fatal poison."
Nurses are Sackman's heroes, on the front lines of patient care night and day.
Is there an increased rate of patient deaths connected to the suspect? Does he work a late-night shift and frequently is alone with patients? Is the patient's death unexpected and attributed to a "Catchall like cardiac arrest?" Are "Sudden-death" chemicals available on the ward? Do colleagues have concerns about the suspect? Was the suspect with the patient before the patient's death? Do records of prior employment show questionable incidents? Does an initial review by management find insufficient evidence to proceed?
https://www.judicialwatch.org/bulletins/the-murder-curtain/
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