SEATTLE – The case of an infant who died at Seattle Children's Hospital recently is raising new questions about promises the hospital made to improve its procedures after a doctor overdosed a patient last year.
In an e-mail to staffers, the hospital CEO said the very sick infant in the ICU was given ten times the intended dosage of calcium chloride. The hospital has not given out any other details.
A blog that was set up for the child identifies her as eight-month-old Kaia Zautner. The blog indicates the overdose happened on Sept. 14. She died five days later.
In her blog on September 15th, her mother, Alana Zautner writes, "One of Kaia's nurses accidently miscalculated the dosage of calcium chloride," and it "caused Kaia's heart to basically go into cardiac arrest." She went on to say, "her kidneys took a serious hit and her levels have sky rocketed."
As doctors took Kaia into surgery to try to save her, her mother worried about possible brain damage and kidney failure.
She wrote, "Jared and I were watching from the back of the room as all this transpired- praying every second that she would make it." She also says, "I have seen such strength in my daughter these last few hours and I have faith that she will pull through this."
But Kaia didn't make it.
Last year, 15-year-old Michael Blankenship died after an accidental overdose of pain medication. When that happened, the hospital promised sweeping changes.
"Here we are 18 months later and it's happening again," said Chris Davis, the Blakenship family's lawyer. The family settled their lawsuit against Children's just days ago, not knowing that another child had just died from an overdose.
As part of the settlement, Michael's mother agreed not to speak publicly about Children's again.
"To say she was upset is an understatement. She had to leave work," said Davis.
State records show Children's has logged 19 "adverse events" since a 2006 law requiring hospitals to report questionable deaths and injuries went into effect.
Davis says the problem is the state gets the reports but has little authority to investigate them.
"There's really no teeth, no enforcement teeth, behind it," said Davis.
The Department of Health says it will receive a report from the hospital within 45 days, but it does not have any authority to investigate based on the information in that report. Critics say the system is relying too much on hospital information and that there isn't enough independent investigation.
The hospital is staying tight-lipped, except to say that only pharmacists and doctors will dispense calcium chloride in non-emergency situations.
According to the blog, Kaia's family has gone to Hawaii to spread the girl's ashes.
KING 5's Elisa Hahn and Chris Ingalls contributed to this report.
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