Berry v. Patten

DICKINSON, Justice,

for the Court:

¶ 1. Sheila Patten, who was being prepared for surgery by Kevin Berry, a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), aspirated stomach fluids into her lungs, leading to her death several weeks later. At issue in this wrongful-death suit is whether the plaintiff produced sufficient evidence that Berry breached the standard of care required of a CRNA. Because she did not, we reverse.

I. BACKGROUND

Factual Background

¶ 2. Sheila Patten underwent gastric-bypass surgery at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Oxford, was discharged to go home, but returned to the emergency…