Nina Pham, the 26-year-old nurse who contracted Ebola at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas in October 2014, plans to file a lawsuit alleging the hospital violated her privacy and failed to properly train staff to care for patients with Ebola, according to a Dallas Morning News report.
Ms. Pham intends to file her lawsuit against Texas Health Resources, the parent company of Texas Health Presbyterian.
She became infected with Ebola after caring for Thomas Duncan, the first person diagnosed with Ebola in the U.S. Three days after Mr. Duncan died at Texas Health Presbyterian, Ms. Pham tested positive for Ebola.
While Ms. Pham was a patient at Texas Health Presbyterian, she claims her privacy was violated. Although she had requested no information be released about her, she claims a physician at the hospital recorded a video of her and released it to the public, according to the report.
Charla Aldous, Ms. Pham's attorney, also claims Daniel Varga, MD, chief clinical officer for Texas Health Resources, made misrepresentations regarding the protective gear Ms. Pham and others at the hospital wore and about the information that was shared with Texas Health Presbyterian employees.
Although Dr. Varga testified at a congressional hearing in October 2014 that the hospital staff was trained to treat Ebola patients, Ms. Pham told the Dallas Morning News, "The only thing I knew about Ebola, I learned in nursing school" six years earlier.
Texas Health Resources declined to comment on the specifics of Ms. Pham's allegations. Wendell Watson, a spokesperson for Texas Health Resources, told the Dallas Morning News, "Nina Pham bravely served Texas Health Dallas during a most difficult time. We continue to support and wish the best for her, and we remain optimistic that constructive dialogue can resolve this matter."