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Nurses describe drug orders, patients in pain and interactions with Husel

Dr. William Husel is charged with 14 counts of murder, each count representing one of his patients. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Three Mount Carmel nurses – two former and one current - testified Wednesday how they administered doses of fentanyl and other drugs to patients under Dr. William Husel’s care.

For the first time since testimony began in the murder trial of the former Mount Carmel physician, jurors heard directly from the nurses who worked side by side with Husel - who is charged with 14 counts of murder - accused of overprescribing pain medications for the patients under his care.

The nurses described Husel’s demeanor as “nice” “approachable” and “patient with families” and discussed how he “liked to teach” nurses who worked on Mount Carmel’s intensive care unit.

 Nurse Stephanie LeChard testified about how she initially questioned a dose of 1,000 micrograms of fentanyl intended for patient Sandra Castle. LeChard said she asked two nurses if the dose was appropriate for a palliative patient, who reassured her that it was.

I also asked (another nurse) if this was a normal dose, and he said yes, they had just gave one of his patients,” LeChard testified.

LeChard said she noticed that Castle appeared to be in discomfort – and had been receiving lower doses of pain medications. She said she was approached by Castle’s family about getting more pain medication.

LeChard said that’s when she consulted with Dr. Husel, who ordered 1,000 micrograms of fentanyl and 10 milligrams of Versed. (Other prosecution witnesses who have testified thus far said that those two medications in combination can have a “synergistic effect” - increasing the risk of respiratory depression).

Prosecutors noted that the dose of 1,000 micrograms that was given to Castle came hours after her breathing tube and ventilator had already been removed.

Former Mount Carmel nurses Tyler Springer and Troy Rudman each testified about patient Ryan Hayes – who was ultimately given 2,000 micrograms of fentanyl from two separate drug orders - along with additional doses of Versed and Midazolam. Springer that he received a verbal order from Dr. William Husel of 1,000 micrograms of fentanyl and testified that he was unaware that nurse Rudman had given the exact same dose to Hayes about 20 minutes prior.

Springer said he remembered treating Hayes because “it was the most amount of medication I had ever given someone…”

Nurse Troy Rudman testified that he was taught in school that the removal of breathing tubes and ventilators from critically ill, dying or “palliative patients” can be a painful process.

He noted that he noted that Hayes had a pain score of 10 as “anticipatory” for his breathing tube and ventilator being removed.

Husel’s defense attorney Diane Menashe asked Rudman if he had experienced a patient enduring a bad death? Rudman said “yes.”

Prosecutors have alleged that these doses were excessive and hastened the deaths of these patients.

Husel’s legal defense team has said they were intended as comfort care to prevent painful deaths and that the removal of life support was what caused the patients to die – not Husel’s medication orders.

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