[The Second Take] Hospitals That Encouraged Serial Murder

Ignoring Patient Protection for Financial Gain
Admitting Medical Malpractice Leads to Loss of Patients, Reduced Profits, and Downsizing

Netflix's "The Good Nurse" deals with medical malpractice. More precisely, it is about a serial murder. Amy (Jessica Chastain) works as a nurse in the intensive care unit at Parkfield Hospital in New Jersey, USA. Just as she reaches her limit due to the demanding workload and night shifts, a reliable ally appears. Charlie (Eddie Redmayne), a thoughtful and empathetic nurse, joins her. Together, they navigate the difficulties of the night ward and build a strong friendship.

However, after Charlie arrives, patients begin to die one after another for unknown reasons. Amy starts to suspect Charlie as she reviews each incident. "If you explain what happened..." "I don't want to talk about Parkfield Hospital." "Why? Is it because the rumors are true? I don't mind if you did such a thing. I can understand."

The film is based on a true story. Charles Cullen worked at nine hospitals and one nursing home in New Jersey and Pennsylvania from 1988 to 2003. He committed serial murders by administering drugs to patients. He admitted to twenty-nine cases, but it is estimated that there were around 400 actual victims. He was arrested in December 2003 and sentenced to 397 years in prison. He never revealed his motive for the killings.

The truth came to light when police from New Jersey and Pennsylvania collaborated after noticing similarities in multiple cases. Starting from allegations of stockpiling pharmaceuticals, they gradually collected evidence. However, the investigation faced difficulties for a long time due to a lack of concrete evidence to prove the crimes.

Medical malpractice cases are difficult to turn into criminal cases. There are no witnesses or cameras. Crime scenes are not preserved. Due to a lack of specialized knowledge about medical treatment details, victims are often defenseless. Doctors and nurses can also become victims at any time. Some patients and guardians accuse unexpected situations as medical malpractice and treat medical staff as criminals.

"The Good Nurse" digs deeper into the fundamental causes. It explores why shocking incidents of nurses harming patients continue to occur. Director Tobias Lindholm focuses on problems within the hospital system. A representative example is the conversation between Amy and head nurse Viv at the beginning.

"Did you let the family of patient 301 sleep in the room?" "The elderly patient? Yes, they were exhausted, and it was 1 a.m." "There isn’t enough staff to run a hotel for families. The management even rationed coffee filters. Every penny counts. We had to beg just to get more staff."

This is why medical institutions, including Parkfield Hospital, hush up and cover up incidents. They fear that admitting medical malpractice will stop patients from coming. If it becomes publicly known and profits decline, the responsibility is shifted to temporary workers. They are fired under the pretext of downsizing. Amy is in the direct line of fire. Despite suffering from heart disease, she tries to complete one year of workdays. Without income, raising her two daughters becomes impossible.

Many hospitals still turn a blind eye to various corruptions to protect financial interests. They do not deal transparently with medical malpractice. Is this really a problem only in the United States? Charles Graeber, who wrote the original work, warns in the documentary "The Nurse Killer":

"Charles Cullen will spend the rest of his life in prison, but those who passed him off and those who received large sums of money to take responsibility have never been held accountable. They did not take the right path. Protecting and caring for patients. In short, they failed. But they remain intact."