Nurse who exposed patients to blood-borne infections identified

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (WSVN) -- The name of the nurse accused of exposing more than 1,800 people to blood-borne diseases at Broward General Medical Center has been released.

Fort Lauderdale Police are investigating allegations against nurse Qui Lan to determine whether she committed a crime.

Qui Lan, 59, resigned from Broward General Medical Center after admitting she had ignored basic procedures to avoid affecting her patients.

Hospital executives said she admitted to routinely reusing chemical heart stress test equipment that should have only been used once. This forced the hospital to contact almost 1,860 patients who came in for a cardiac chemical stress tests between January 2004 and early September 2009. "We have 3,000 employees and 800 plus physicians who give their all on a daily basis, to constantly do what is right for our patients, and the act of this one individual, and I do state that one individual, has torn at our hearts," Broward General Hospital CEO James Thaw.

Nancy is one of the patients who received the cardiac chemical stress tests during the period stated. "I got this letter today in the mail that I have to go for blood tests. The only thing that I can tell you is I hope to God nothing is there. I just hope to God, but I still have to be rechecked in six months," Nancy said.

Patients can call the Patient Alert Hotline for more information: 1-800-545-5716.

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