This will be an interesting trial to follow for nurses and all healthcare professionals, sure to set some precedent about nurse and physician reporting.

Anne Mitchell, a former administrative nurse at Winkler County Memorial Hospital in Kermit, TX, will stand trial in a week at a state courthouse for “misuse of official information” after she anonymously reported a physician to the Texas Medical Board in April 2009, according to the New York Times. Mitchell has been charged with the third-degree felony and faces 10 years in prison.

Mitchell, along with another nurse, had reported what they say was unsafe behavior exhibited by Rolando G. Arafiles Jr., MD, to hospital officials. However, they felt the hospital was not working quickly enough to resolve the situation, and wrote of six patient cases to the state medical board. Both nurses were fired in June 2009. A third nurse who had written a second complaint about the physician later resigned because of concerns. That nurse was not charged.

The physician in question, who is not speaking publicly following legal advice, went to the Winkler County sheriff-a former patient of his-after he was notified of the complaints against him. A search warrant for both nurses’ computers was obtained and the anonymous letter found, according to the Times.

Various nurses associations have raised $40,000 for the defense. To be convicted, the jury must be convinced that Mitchell “used her position to disseminate confidential information for a ‘nongovernmental purpose’ with intent to harm to Dr. Arafiles.”

For more details regarding the case, read the full New York Times article by clicking here.

What are your thoughts on the situation? It’d be great to hear from some nurses on this topic.