NASHVILLE, TN Dr. Harold Bateman and his nursing staff at Mercy Hospital are under investigation after losing four surgery patients on Thursday night. Carol Evans, a hospital official who asked to remain anonymous, told reporters, “We had twelve surgeries scheduled that night and we were incredibly short-staffed. Dr. Bateman had no choice but perform multiple surgeries at the same time.” She explained that one patient would be wheeled into the operating room for prep then moved to a nearby hallway or janitor’s closet to make room for the next patient. By the time all twelve patients were prepped, the nursing staff discovered four patients had been accidentally relocated to different wings of the hospital.
The Mercy Hospital Missing Patients Search Team (MHMPST) was called into action and the patients were located within four hours. The Mercy Hospital Missing Patients Search Team spokesperson said, “It’s for situations like this that the Mercy Hospital Missing Patients Search Team was formed. I’m proud to say the team executed flawlessly and all three patients are recovering nicely.”
Hospital administrators are still determining what disciplinary actions Dr. Bateman and his staff will face, but some indications suggest Bateman may face an immediate two-week paid vacation to his home in the Cayman Islands.