Texas Nurses Association Gives Highest Award to State Attorney General's Team that Defended Nurses' Right to Act as Patient Advocate

AUSTIN, Texas, May 4, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Last Saturday, Texas Nurses Association honored three men from the Texas Attorney General's Office who gained justice for two "Winkler County nurses" who suffered illegal retaliation after they reported concerns about a physician's unsafe practice to the Texas Medical Board. Citing "recognition of their special contributions to defending the patient advocacy role of a nurse," Texas Nurses Association President Margie Dorman-O'Donnell, MSN, RN presented a prestigious President's Award, the highest honor the association bestows, to:

• Lead Prosecutor David Glickler, assistant attorney general and deputy division chief, White Collar Crime and Public Integrity Section, Buda, Texas;
• Co-counsel Shane Attaway, assistant attorney general, Austin; and
• Sgt. Randy Muenzler, investigator in the Law Enforcement Division, Office of Attorney General, Austin.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120504/DC01295LOGO)

In what has now become near legend in nursing and health care communities, the years-long ordeal of the Winkler County nurses, Anne Mitchell, RN and Vicki Galle, RN, had threatened a chilling effect on a nurse's willingness to report unsafe patient care.  After reporting the physician – and fulfilling their duty to patient – Mitchell and Galle were criminally indicted, arrested, fired from their hospital jobs, and faced fines and jail time if convicted, which they were not.  Nurses and health care organizations across the U.S. expressed outrage and fear that the retaliatory actions of four conspirators – physician, county attorney, sheriff and hospital administrator – could forever alter nursing's role as patient advocate. 

"There was solid evidence of improper motives," Glickler said.  "It was obvious the rights of the nurses had been violated."

In late 2010, Glickler and members of his prosecution team investigated and then criminally indicted each of the four Winkler County men for the criminal actions they collectively perpetrated against the nurses.   

All tallied, the four men prosecuted by Glickler and Attaway either accepted plea deals or were found guilty of all charges.  They served jail time for their bad actions and paid fines.  The physician lost his license to practice medicine, the sheriff surrendered forever his law enforcement license, and the hospital administrator retired more than once.  The county attorney who had indicted the nurses awaits final judgment. 

"He is effectively disbarred," explained Glickler, "since his license to practice law – which he used as a weapon against the nurses – is suspended indefinitely pending appeal of his conviction." 

In the end, Glickler, Attaway and Muenzler got justice for the nurses, nursing and the citizens of Texas.  Muenzler, whose wife is a nurse, feels a great sense of pride in the outcomes they achieved.  "If there is questionable patient care," he explained, "I want a nurse to be able to make a complaint without fearing that her future is a stake."

For Glickler, he is honored to have played a role in delivering justice.  "My impact," he believes, "was to remove any fear of retaliation from the minds of nurses when they are inclined to report unsafe patient care."  There can be no chilling effect on a nurse's right to advocate for patients.

About Texas Nurses Association - Texas Nurses Association (www.texasnurses.org) is a professional organization of registered nurses, and the only Texas constituent member association of the American Nurses Association.  Texas Nurses Association seeks to promote excellence in nursing by helping nurses achieve quality patient care through high standards of practice, legislative involvement, and public policy advocacy.

SOURCE Texas Nurses Association