Lawsuit alleges CRNA photographed unclothed patient under anesthesia at Yale New Haven Health Bridgeport Hospital

The Hartford Courant reports that an unclothed patient under anesthesia for outpatient surgery at Yale New Haven Health Bridgeport Hospital was allegedly photographed by a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) in the surgical suite, according to a lawsuit filed in Superior Court.

Even more alarmingly, the patient allegedly wasn’t even under the CRNA’s care at the time, claims the suit.

Later, in the recovery room, the CRNA allegedly arrived at the patient’s bedside and showed both him and his wife the photos, which the lawsuit claims were “very compromising and unflattering.”

The Courant reports that the suit claims the photos “were not for any purpose, other than to harass, ridicule, humiliate, embarrass, and otherwise cause emotional distress to the plaintiff,” and that the nurse did not have permission to take the pictures. The suit accuses the CRNA along with the hospital and its owner Yale New Haven Health of “carelessness and negligence” that “caused severe, serious, painful, and permanent injuries” to the patient, including “emotional distress; insomnia; loss of concentration; depression; panic attacks; extreme anxiety; severe emotional turmoil; fear of further embarrassment and humiliation, and more,” writes the newspaper.

According to The Courant, the suit additionally claims that:

• The CRNA was given virtually unfettered access to the unconscious patient and that “the information gained was disclosed to third parties, including but not limited to the recovery room nursing staff.”
• The hospital failed to “provide adequate and proper supervision of medical staff and to properly supervise and monitor the care of the plaintiff and failed to monitor who was allowed in the surgical suites.”
• There was “failure to restrict access to the operating room, to supervise personnel, and to protect the plaintiff from unauthorized photography, which constitutes negligence and reckless disregard for patient privacy.”
• Connecticut law was violated by “disclosing and/or publishing information gained by photographing the plaintiff without his permission and publishing it to others, without his consent.”

A Bridgeport Hospital spokesperson told The Courant that Yale New Haven Health is aware of the suit but unable to comment on pending litigation.