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Listentoaudio(7minutes)from:https://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=220687231OptionalWatch:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-A45oQYT_yIOptionalmapstogiveouttostudentstohelpthemunderstandwhathappenedinthecity.

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WasItMurder?Doctor,TwoNursesWereAccusedOfMurderingPatientsSeptember21st2006.DanielSchornIntheaftermathofHurricaneKatrinatwoyearsago,morethanathousandbodieswererecoveredinthecityofNewOrleans.Amongthedeadwere34patientsfromMemorialMedicalCenter,ahospitalthatwasstranded,isolated,intenfeetofwaterandwithoutpowerforfourswelteringdays.Ayearago,Louisiana'sattorneygeneralstunnedthecitywhenheclaimedthatfourofMemorial'sdeaddidnotdiefromillnessesorevenfromthehorrificconditionsbutthattheyweremurdered.Evenmorestunning,ahighlyrespecteddoctorandtwonurseswerearrested.Dr.Pou,alongwithnursesCheriLandryandLoriBudo,werearrestedafteraninvestigationbythestateattorneygeneral,whoaccusedthemofmurderbyinjectingfourpatientsintheircarewithtwodifferentdrugs.Thestorymadeheadlinesaroundtheworld.It'sNewOrleansafterallandtheoriesabound:werepatientsmurdered?Wasitmercykilling?Didthedoctorandnurseskillpatientswhoweredyinganywayandweretooilltobeevacuated?Orweretheysimplygivenmedicationtomakethemcomfortableinthemosthorrificofconditions.Theattorneygeneralhadnodoubt."Thisisnoteuthanasia.Thisisplainandsimplehomicide,"Fotisaid.Dr.Pouhasbeenpracticingmedicineformorethan15years—asaheadandnecksurgeonwhospecializesintreatingcancerpatients.AsKatrinaapproached,Dr.PouheadedtoMemorial

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MedicalCenter,whereshewasoncall.Inall,about2,000peoplewereinthehospitalthatSundaynight,manyofthemsimplyseekingrefuge.Afterthestormpassedthenextmorning,therewasasenseofrelief.Dr.Pouwasofferedthechancetoleavebutshechosetostaywithherpatients.ByearlyTuesdaymorning,thecity'sleveeswerecollapsing."Itwasreallyshocking.Thewaterwassquirtingoutoftheventsinthestreet,thegutters.Andwaterstartedcoming.Andprobablyroseaboutafootanhour,"sherecalls.BylateTuesday,thehospitalwasfloodedwithtenfeetofwaterandcompletelywithoutpower.Ventilatorsstopped,therewerenotelephones,limitedfood,andperhapsworstofallthe110degreeheat.Occasionalhelicoptersorsmallboatswouldevacuatesomepatients,butnursesCheriLandryandLoriBudosaythatwasrare.Patientslaysoakinginsqualor.Nursesbrokewindowsforairandfannedpatients.Theseventhfloorwasmostcritical.AseparatecompanycalledLifecarerananacutecarefacilityfortheseverelyill.Theirdoctordidn'tshow,soDr.Pouandahandfulofotherdoctorsandnursesdidwhattheycould.Thereweresporadicevacuations,butittookatremendouseffort.Patientshadtobecarrieddownasmanyassevenflightsofstairs,thenbackupagaintoahelipadonagarage.Itwasabattlefieldandseveraldiedintheprocess.BynightfallWednesday,Memorialwasahellhole."Thehospitalyouhavetorememberwaspitchblack.Wecouldn'tseeourhandsinfrontofourface.Wehadtoexaminepatientsusingflashlights,"Dr.Pouremembers."Thepatientsrealizedtherewasn'tawholelotthatwecoulddoforthem,excepttoprovidethemostbasiccareandtheywereworried,youknow.Youknow,'Idon'tfeelwell.WhenamIgonnagetoutofhere?'"Doctorssaythehospitalhadbecomeadeathtrap–dehydrationwasakiller.ByThursdaymorning,anothertenpatientsweredead.Thensomethingworsehappened:wordspreadthatnoorganizedrescuewouldbecoming.Dr.Kokemorsaystheywerebeingabandonedineffect.Askedwhatchoicestheyhadtomakeinlightofthisgravesituation,hesays,"Ourchoicewould'vebeentoleavethehospitalandleavebehindourpatients.Thatwasunacceptabletomeandunacceptabletovirtuallyallofourdoctors."ManyfeltthatthepatientscouldnotbearanotherdayinMemorial.Preparationsweremadeforamakeshiftevacuation.Severaldoctorswadedoutintothefloodwaterstotrytocommandeerboats.AccordingtoAttorneyGeneralCharlesFoti,that'swhenDr.AnnaPouandhernursesinjectedfourpatientswithlethaldoses.TheattorneygeneralsaysinanaffidavitthatseveralwitnessesclaimthatDr.Pou,alongwithnursesBudoandLandryheadeduptotheLifecarefacilityontheseventhfloor,wheretherewereninepatientsthatdoctorssayweretoosicktobemoved.

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FoticlaimsDr.Poutoldthestaff"theydidn'thavealotoftime"andthatthey"neededtoevacuate."Shethenallegedlysaid"adecisionhadbeenmadetoadministerlethaldoses"topatientswhoprobablywerenotgoingtosurvive.WitnessesclaimthatDr.Pousaidshetook"fullresponsibility."Andthen,accordingtoFoti'saffidavit,thedoctorandnurseswereseenenteringpatients'roomswithsyringesandvialsofdrugs.Fotisayshehaspost-mortemevidencethatshowsthattheLifecarepatients,twomenandtwowomenaged61to90,hadhighlevelsofthepainkillermorphineandthesedative"Versed.""Theywerelethaldosesofbothofthosedrugsinthosepatients.Lethaldoses,"Fotisays.Askedifshemurderedthosepatients,astheattorneygeneralalleges,shesays,"No,Ididnotmurderthosepatients.Mr.Safer,I'vespentmyentirelifetakingcareofpatients.Ihavenohistoryofdoinganythingotherthangoodformypatients.Idothebestofmyability.WhywouldIsuddenlystartmurderingpeople?Thisdoesn'tmakesense."Murderornot,theallegedcrimestookplacewhenhelpwasactuallyontheway.Butnooneinthehospitalknewthat.TheownersofMemorialhadcharteredfivehelicopters;withinhourshundredsofpeoplewereevacuated,34peoplelaydead.http://www.cbsnews.com/news/was-it-murder/3/

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Activity:Consider.Thereisadeadlyoutbreakofanairbornediseaseinyourcity.Theoutbreakwillhappensoquicklythatyoucannotreceivehelpfromanyoneoutsideyourcity.Inordertosurvive,youneedtousearespiratortohelpyoubreathe.Ifyoudonothavearespirator,youwilldie.Thereareonlyenoughrespiratorstosave10%ofyourpopulation.Whoshouldgettousearespirator?Howshouldyoudecide?Firstmakealistofallthepossiblewayswecoulddecide.Thenfromamongyourchoices,decidehowwouldyourationthoseresources.Whyisyourchoicethebestcourseofaction?Whatarethelimitationsorproblemsthatarisefromyourchoice?