Robinson v. St. John's Medical Center, Joplin

Defendant Wooldridge performed gall bladder surgery on Ned Robinson at defendant St. John’s Medical Center in Joplin. A subsequent operation revealed a laparotomy (lap) sponge had been left in Robinson during the gall bladder surgery due to an inaccurate sponge count. Robinson et uxor sued the doctor and the hospital under the doctrine of respondeat superi- or on the theory that Mary Ritzman, the surgeon’s instrument nurse, and Beverly Gray, an employee of the medical center, had been negligent in making the closing sponge count. A Jasper County jury exonerated the surgeon and returned…