Juliar

FACTS

Plaintiffs sued defendant and a surgeon for the wrongful death of their relative, Helen Juliar. The complaint alleged Juliar died after the surgeon “rupture[d]” Juliar’s artery while inserting a pacemaker at the hospital. It alleged defendants “failed to timely diagnose and/or mismanaged an emergency pericardial tamponade.” Defendant moved for summary judgment based on the expert declaration from Julia Hughes, a nurse and former surgery center nursing director with a master’s degree in healthcare administration. She recounted: “[t]he surgery started at 2133”; “[a]round 2152 . . . a code blue was called”; and “[a]t 2230, an echo was performed, and it was noted that it was consistent with probable tamponade.” Later, “[a]nother echo was performed and showed organized pericardial clots.” Another code was called; Juliar could not be resuscitated and died. Hughes opined: (1) defendant and its staff “met the nursing standard of care in the community”; (2) “[t]he O.R. team ensured that the

1 The first amended complaint, answer, and judgment designated defendant as “St. Jude Hospital.” Some trial court captions designated defendant as “Providence St. Jude Medical Center.” In its…