CNN 2010-02-27

PHILLIPS: A crack in the system. An Ohio hospital pharmacist is now out of prison, but his case could have long-range repercussions¹ keeping any future medical mistakes quiet. The hospital's dirty little secret. The CNN's David Mattingly investigates. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT² (voice-over): In 2006, Eric Cropp was a pharmacist at a Cleveland Hospital when a 2- year-old cancer patient Emily Jerry was killed by the medical error of a pharmacy³ technician. She was given a chemotherapy drug mixed with a salt solution 23 times more concentrated than the normal dose.

But because Eric Cropp was the supervising⁴ pharmacists and should have caught the mistake, he was sent to jail. And that's where I found him, confused and struggling with regrets.

Do you think it was your fault?

ERIC CROPP, FORMER PHARMACIST: In a way, sometimes, because I have been called everything in the media and the way my co-workers have treated me, it's been hard.

MATTINGLY: But not as hard as it has been for Emily Jerry's mom.

KELLY JERRY, EMILY'S MOTHER: She would go up and down the slide. First thing was the middle,  was still on those child safety swings.

MATTINGLY: After Emily's death, Kelly Jerry pushed for laws in Ohio requiring new training and certification for pharmacy workers.

(on camera): Cropp says the mistake that killed Emily Jerry came on a day when he was overloaded⁵ and rushed. These are common complaints throughout the nation's medical system and patient safety advocates warn that cases like this might actually make it harder to change the conditions where tragic⁶ errors are made.

MICHAEL COHEN, INST. FOR SAFE MEDICATION PRACTICES: And people are going to be afraid to come forward and identify problems that they've been involved with, because of fear for losing their license⁷, or in this case, they even have criminal charges brought against you.

MATTINGLY: Michael Cohen of the Institute for State Medication Practices was among experts sending letters to the judge, calling Cropp an easy target, saying, "the greater good is served by focusing on system issues that allow tragedies like this to happen."

But in the court's eyes, Cropp had no excuse for missing the mistake that killed Emily Jerry. He's serving six months for involuntary manslaughter. He will never work as a pharmacist again.

David Mattingly, CNN, Cleveland.
 

1 repercussions   

n.后果，反响( repercussion的名词复数 )；余波

参考例句：

• The collapse of the company will have repercussions for the whole industry. 这家公司的垮台将会给整个行业造成间接的负面影响。
• Human acts have repercussions far beyond the frontiers of the human world. 人类行为所产生的影响远远超出人类世界的范围。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 correspondent   

n.记者，通信者；adj.符合的，一致的，相当的

参考例句：

• He volunteered as a correspondent for the war.他自愿担任作报道这次战争的记者。
• The result was correspondent with my wishes.结果与我的愿望是一致的。

3 pharmacy   

n.药房，药剂学，制药业，配药业，一批备用药品

参考例句：

• She works at the pharmacy.她在药房工作。
• Modern pharmacy has solved the problem of sleeplessness.现代制药学已经解决了失眠问题。

4 supervising   

v.监督，管理( supervise的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• She had something to do in the house, supervising that native. 她待在家里，究竟还有点儿事情可以做做，可以监视那个土人。 来自辞典例句
• In addition, nuisance law fails to provide a systematic mechanism for supervising emissions. 另外，妨害法不能提供一个监督排放的系统性机制。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

5 overloaded   

a.超载的，超负荷的

参考例句：

• He's overloaded with responsibilities. 他担负的责任过多。
• She has overloaded her schedule with work, study, and family responsibilities. 她的日程表上排满了工作、学习、家务等，使自己负担过重。

6 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

7 license   

n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许

参考例句：

• The foreign guest has a license on the person.这个外国客人随身携带执照。
• The driver was arrested for having false license plates on his car.司机由于使用假车牌而被捕。