A physician assistant hospitalist has filed a wrongful discharge lawsuit against Pullman Regional Hospital, accusing administrators of firing her in retaliation for raising concerns about patient care and staff safety in early 2020.
Licensed physician assistant Paula Bowes, in an amended complaint filed last week, alleged substandard care resulted in the death of a 29-year-old patient and that the hospital had insufficient safeguards in place to protect staff from assaultive patients.
“Ms. Bowes brought her concerns to the attention of hospital administrators several times,” the lawsuit states. “The hospital administrators did nothing to respond to her concerns.”
The lawsuit states Bowes told the hospital she planned to file a whistleblower report to share her concerns with regulatory agencies and had retained an attorney. The hospital allegedly put her on administrative leave the next day and later declined to renew her contract.
A hospital spokesperson did not respond to an email request on Friday to comment on the lawsuit or whistleblower protections. No formal answer to the complaint has yet been filed with the court.
In the 21-page complaint, Bowes alleged a 29-year-old female patient was improperly placed on an end-of-life care plan in early 2020 and died soon after. Bowes accused the hospital of providing insufficient nutrition and hydration, leading to the patient’s starvation.
“Bowes alleges that the substandard of care … contributed to, and ultimately resulted in, patient Jane Doe’s death,” the lawsuit states. “This could have, and should have, been prevented.”
The lawsuit states Bowes tried to intervene in the patient’s care multiple times, but her efforts were overturned.
Bowes also repeatedly raised complaints about the hospital’s safety training and security protocols, the lawsuit states. She alleged that violent patients had assaulted staff and the hospital had not provide appropriate safeguards.
“Bowes alleges … the hospital did not have the nurses appropriately trained,” the lawsuit states, “did not provide appropriate staffing levels, had minimal security, and had nothing in place to prevent workplace violence.”
After Bowes brought her concerns to her supervisors, the hospital gave Bowes the choice to resign with severance or face termination without severance or a positive reference, the lawsuit alleges. The hospital also hired an attorney to conduct an investigation into the matter.
“This notification of employment termination occurred before any investigation took place,” the lawsuit states. “Of note, once the hospital conducted the investigation, it was a sham and not transparent.”
Attorneys for Bowes stated in the complaint the hospital had not released a copy of the investigation findings or report. Whitman County Watch has requested a copy of the findings from the hospital, but has not received a response.
The lawsuit seeks payment for general damages, back pay, attorneys fees and other payments deemed by the court. Bowes is also asking for a “declaration that the Hospital violated the law.”