Essay paper essay like anna pous actions at memorial hospital, new orleans, in the days following hurricane katrina, my thoughts about her actions are complex and varied. Five days at memorial is an important and difficult read. A doctor has admitted that he gave orders for a lethal dose of medication to be administered to a patient under his care during the hurricane katrina disaster in 2005 a decision that he says he does not regret having made. At a recent national conference for hospital disaster planners, pou. Sheri finks new book, five days at memorial details the horrors visited upon patients and staff at new orleans hospitals after katrina. A katrina physicians memoir finally tells the inside story of the. Richard deichmann, the hospitals chief of medicine and one of the leaders of the evacuation, gives his compelling account of the rapidly deteriorating state of affairs at the hospital. In sheri finks five days at memorial, the pulitzer prizewinning journalist attempts to get to the bottom of what happened at a new orleans hospital in the days after hurricane katrina. When this was published, i wanted to learn the story. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading code blue. Where is the line between appropriate comfort care and mercy killing. Pulitzer prize winner sheri finks landmark investigation of patient deaths at a new orleans hospital ravaged by hurricane katrinaand her suspenseful portrayal of the quest for truth and justice. Anna pou, a physician accused of euthanizing four critically ill. Five days at memorial by sheri fink teachers guide.
D download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Doctor admits euthanizing patient during hurricane katrina doctor admits euthanizing patient during hurricane katrina news by. Hurricane katrina produced damaging winds up to 140 mph. The louisiana state university system owns the building, and their headquarters have indicated that they. The moral dilemmas of doctors during disaster the new yorker. A katrina physicians memoir kindle edition by richard e. Facing floodwaters and corporate mismanagement, some staffers euthanized sick patients. Doctor, nurses held in katrina deaths us news katrina. During katrina, memorial doctors chose who lived, who died. Fink provides a landmark investigation of patient deaths at a new orleans hospital ravaged by hurricane katrina and a suspenseful portrayal of the quest for truth and justice. While it shines a light on our government and corporate failures, it also highlights the resiliency of the human spirit and will to survive.
Five days at memorial life and death in a stormravaged hospital book. And in fiscal year 2005, before katrina, cms installed the 25 percent rule, a requirement that ltchs take in a maximum of 25 percent of their patients from any one acutecare hospital in. Fink, whose previous book, war hospital, was based on her reporting in the. A doctor and two nurses were arrested overnight in connection with the deaths of patients at a new orleans hospital in the days following hurricane katrina, the louisiana attorney generals. Very well written, not a typical journalistauthored book. Five days at memorial by sheri fink the boston globe. Doctors, nurses, and staff worked around the clock, caring for those inside and trying to evacuate the facility, also known as baptist hospital. Charity hospital and the nearby university hospital were both teaching hospitals. Hurricane katrina blew in to new orleans and the city is still recovering, and so this book is an important part our american history. By the time katrina began lashing new orleans in the early hours of monday, aug. Five days at memorial, by sheri fink the new york times. There were rumors that doctors and nurses had euthanized patients, and an investigation. The story of hurricane katrina and memorial hospital in the early morning hours of august 29, 2005 the gulf coast braced for disaster. But it culminates in a remarkably honest, frank, and bloo.
Life and death in a stormravaged hospital crown, 20 about choices made in the aftermath of hurricane katrina. On saturday afternoon, the ceo called several hospitals. A katrina physicians memoir finally tells the inside story of the hellish nightmare those who struggled to survive the ordeal were cast into. The first part describes the events and experiences of the approximately 600 staff and more than 200 patients who, along with their loved ones, were stranded at memorial hospital in new orleans, louisiana during and immediately after hurricane katrina in 2005. Sheri finks five days at memorial the new york times. Allegations of euthanasia would later make headlines across the country and be investigated by state and local officials. Five days of ambiguous morality at katrinahit hospital. The book details the aftermath of hurricane katrina at memorial medical. Guide by maureen wolverton, liberal studies department prologue 1 reflect on your own memories of hurricane katrina. Pou and the hurricane implications for patient care. Memorial hospital spent five days in the wake of hurricane katrina without power, flooded and without preparation in place for a largescale disaster. Fink explores the alleged euthanasia of patients after evacuation orders were handed down for waterlogged memorial hospital five days after katrina hit.
Three weeks after the devastating hurricane katrina in 2005, the city authorities said that charity hospital would not reopen again. Books for all ages new members save 20% off jigsaw. When hurricane katrina devastated new orleans in 2005, the citys hospitals faced awful dilemmas. The book details the aftermath of hurricane katrina at memorial medical center in new orleans in august 2005, and is an expansion of a pulitzer prizewinning article written by fink and published in the new york times magazine in 2009. She is a correspondent at the new york times, where her and her colleagues stories on the west africa ebola crisis were recognized with the 2015 pulitzer prize. It is also an invaluable eye opener for those who have loved ones with chronic illness, who could face the same fate as the poor souls in lifecare or memorial hospital. Home nurselife hurricane katrina and the deadly choices at memorial medical center. Share how you learned about certain events and any people you knew who were touched by the disaster. After katrina struck and the floodwaters rose, the power failed, and the heat. Life and death in a stormravaged hospital is a 20 nonfiction book by the american journalist sheri fink. Sheri fink is the author of the new york times bestselling book, five days at memorial. Hurricane katrina and the deadly choices at memorial medical center.
In the tradition of the best narrative nonfiction, fink draws together dozens of stories and perspectives. Utilitarianism and medical care in the aftermath of. Anna maria pou was arrested following the deaths of four patients at memorial hospital after hurricane katrina hit. Five days at memorial, by sheri fink sheri finks five days at memorial, describes the horrific conditions at a new orleans hospital shortly after hurricane katrina. In the aftermath of the katrina crisis, dr pou told a louisiana television station some patients were under do not resuscitate orders made prior to the hurricane. The book, which takes place in august 2005, describes the struggle of staff and patients to survive when trapped in new orleans memorial medical center during the aftermath of hurricane katrina. Pou headed to memorial medical center, where she was on call. A reading list telling the stories of an american tragedy. When katrina made landfall, the immediate impact of. Five days at memorial by sheri fink guide by maureen. But the hospital was a singlestory building, and katrina seemed particularly threatening. Why wasnt the hospital evacuated before katrina hit new orleans.
Fink has done a masterful reporting job, and five days at memorial is often engrossing, particularly those. Five days at memorial book central arkansas library. In five days at memorial, sheri fink describes an awful example set by doctors and nurses during hurricane katrina. Finks book explores what went wrong after hurricane katrina, and asks us to. Thats a tall order, and its reflected in the book s length and complexity.
By wednesday, the hospital was surrounded by floodwaters, without sanitation, running out of food, experiencing indoor temperatures up to 110 f 43 c, and had. Desoto hospital in mansfield, louisiana, some 300 miles away, agreed to accept the patients. Five days of ambiguous morality at katrinahit hospital npr. Sheri fink spent years reporting on this story and her writing is strong, filled with grim details and dreadful scenes, but it needed to be told. Eight years ago, hurricane katrina hit new orleans.
This is a very powerful book about a medical and social disaster in new orleans following the flooding and then social misery that hurricane katrina and the monstrously myopic failures of regional, state and federal safeguards of flood control, planning and budgeting combined to impose on the populace of new orleans in the summer of 2005. A new book tells the harrowing story of memorial medical center, where some physicians took the lives of their patients during the aftermath of hurricane katrina. In all, about 2,000 people were in the hospital that sunday night, many of them simply seeking refuge. The story of hurricane katrina and memorial hospital. Her first book, war hospital, was about medics under siege in bosniaherzegovina. The 558 page book, five days at memorial, tells the complete story of what happened at memorial medical centre in new orleans during the hurricane katrina disaster that began on august 28, 2005. In five days at memorial she is on home ground, in new orleans, during and immediately after hurricane katrina in. Five days at memorial book san antonio public library. Pou, an associate professor in the department of otorhinolaryngology at the lsu health sciences center, was at memorial medical center from before katrina s landfall on monday, august 29 until thursday, september 1. And this is the subject of sheri finks provocative new book, five days. The book consists of nine chapters and is divided into two parts. Sheri finks account of events at a new orleans hospital in the wake of.
After katrina struck and the floodwaters rose, the power failed, and the heat climbed, exhausted caregivers. Custom utilitarianism and medical care in the aftermath of hurricane katrina. Charity hospital was a public hospital in new orleans. Doctor admits euthanizing patient during hurricane katrina. She is a correspondent at the new york times, where her and her colleagues stories on the west africa ebola crisis were recognized with the 2015 pulitzer prize for. Hurricane katrina and the deadly choices at memorial. This book is a devastating account of what happened at a hospital in new orleans after hurricane katrina hit in 2005.
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