Medication mix-up during several surgeries at Tennessee hospital left at least one person paralyzed

Denver7 · Aug 20, 2026 · 405 words · By Scripps News Group

Medical Malpractice Institutional accountability Patient Safety

headphones Listen to the eFinder podcast briefing

Generate a natural audio summary of this story

Daily briefing

What to know about Medical Malpractice

Imagine going in for what is supposed to be routine surgery and being left permanently paralyzed.

Claims checked 12

Techniques found 2

Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center80%

Right20%

5 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Imagine going in for what is supposed to be routine surgery and being left permanently paralyzed.

Why it matters

That's what several families are dealing with after procedures late last week at Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown in Nashville.

Common ground

The hospital is not providing many details, but the Scripps News Group talked with one of those families.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Exaggeration / Hyperbole: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Medical Malpractice story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that The hospital said in its statement that 'the day of the event...[it] launched a thorough investigation...identified the cause and [they] have implemented corrective safeguards.'?
How does this story connect Medical Malpractice with Institutional accountability over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.denver7.com/politics/health-care/medication-mix-up-during-several-su…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 2 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 90% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Exaggeration / Hyperbole 70% confidence

Overstating facts or claims to create a stronger emotional response.

Why it matters: Recognizing exaggeration / hyperbole helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 12 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 7

schedule Pending 2

help Insufficient Evidence 2

verified Verified 1

schedule

Claim 1: “The hospital said in its statement that 'the day of the event...[it] launched a thorough investigation...identified the cause and [they] have implemented corrective safeguards.'”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

check_circle

Claim 2: “There were at least three others.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm that in addition to the paralyzed woman, three other patients (total of four) were affected by the incident.

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — Ascension Saint Thomas is a healthcare system in Tennessee. The Ascension Saint Thomas President and CEO is Fahad Tahir.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ascension_Saint_Thomas

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown, formerly known as Baptist Hospital, is a non-profit community hospital in Nashville, Tennessee, United States and the largest such hospital in Middle Tennessee…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Thomas_Midtown_Hospital

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital, formerly Middle Tennessee Medical Center, is a 418-bed private, not-for-profit hospital located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, United States. Saint Thomas Rutherford Hos…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Thomas_Rutherford_Hospit…

+ 3 more evidence sources

verified

Claim 3: “The statement from Dr. Shubhada Jagasia, the President and CEO of the hospital, went on to say, 'On behalf of our leadership and care teams, I am deeply sorry for the harm caused to our patients.'”

VERIFIED

Multiple sources, including a professional profile and a news announcement, confirm Dr. Shubhada Jagasia is the President and CEO of Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Shubhada Jagasia, MD, has been named president and CEO of Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital’s Midtown and West campuses, both in Nashville, Tenn., the hospital said April 19. Advertisement. By: Kelly Go…
https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/hospital-executive-mov…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Shubhada Jagasia. President and CEO of Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital.Since joining Ascension Saint Thomas in May 2021, Dr. Jagasia has led significant expansions of facilities and service lines, inc…
https://www.belmont.edu/next-level/jagasia.html

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Ascension Saint Thomas. 1mo. Shubhada Jagasia shared this. Congratulations to two exceptional healthcare leaders on being recognized in Becker's Healthcare Women Hospital Presidents and CEOs to Know.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/shubhadajagasia

check_circle

Claim 4: “She was supposed to have had an epidural for pain, but the wrong medication was injected.”

CORROBORATED

Sources indicate patients were accidentally injected with potassium (specifically potassium phosphate in one source) instead of anesthesia/anesthetic medication.

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — Ascension Saint Thomas is a healthcare system in Tennessee. The Ascension Saint Thomas President and CEO is Fahad Tahir.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ascension_Saint_Thomas

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — This is a list of hospitals in Nashville, Tennessee (U.S. state), sorted alphabetically.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_hospitals_in_Nashville…

menu_book

+ 3 more evidence sources

help

Claim 5: “State regulators will only say they are investigating.”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

While the event is confirmed, the provided evidence does not specifically contain the quote or confirmation regarding the current status of the state regulators' public statements.

schedule

Claim 6: “The family of the Centerville woman said after the hospital discovered what had happened, she was transferred to Ascension Saint Thomas West where she remains in the ICU.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

help

Claim 7: “potassium is one of the drugs often used in lethal injections because it stops the heart.”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

The provided evidence focuses on the hospital incident and does not contain medical facts regarding the use of potassium in lethal injections.

check_circle

Claim 8: “We've been told it happened in the pharmacy where instead of putting an anesthetic called bupivacaine into the syringes used in these procedures, somehow they were filled with potassium”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm the mix-up involved potassium (specifically potassium phosphate) being used instead of anesthesia, and that the error originated in the pharmacy.

check_circle

Claim 9: “The hospital told us in a statement, 'Our hearts are with the four patients and their families impacted by this event.'”

CORROBORATED

Web search results confirm that the hospital's leadership acknowledged four patients were harmed and issued apologies.

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — Ascension Saint Thomas is a healthcare system in Tennessee. The Ascension Saint Thomas President and CEO is Fahad Tahir.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ascension_Saint_Thomas

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — This is a list of hospitals in Nashville, Tennessee (U.S. state), sorted alphabetically.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_hospitals_in_Nashville…

menu_book

+ 3 more evidence sources

check_circle

Claim 10: “Last Friday, at least four people went to Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown in Nashville for joint replacement surgeries, and a drug mix-up led to things going horribly wrong in the operating room.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent news sources (AOL, WSMV, News Channel 5/TikTok) confirm a drug mix-up occurred during joint replacement surgeries at Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown affecting at least four patients.

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — This is a list of hospitals in Nashville, Tennessee (U.S. state), sorted alphabetically.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_hospitals_in_Nashville…

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — Ascension Saint Thomas is a healthcare system in Tennessee. The Ascension Saint Thomas President and CEO is Fahad Tahir.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ascension_Saint_Thomas

check_circle

Claim 11: “The family of a Centerville woman who was there for a knee replacement told Scripps News Group that she is now permanently paralyzed from the chest down.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm a 72-year-old woman (identified as Glenda Dorton) is paralyzed from the chest down following a knee replacement at this facility.

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — Ascension Saint Thomas is a healthcare system in Tennessee. The Ascension Saint Thomas President and CEO is Fahad Tahir.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ascension_Saint_Thomas

menu_book

+ 3 more evidence sources

check_circle

Claim 12: “Ascension maintains it did [report it to state regulators].”

CORROBORATED

Reports state that Ascension Saint Thomas reported the incident to state regulators on the day it occurred.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown. Prev Next. Bryan Staples/NewsChannel 5 Nashville.And this report reads worse than the first one. It also helps explain why now more than a month after the cata…
https://www.newschannel5.com/news/newschannel-5-investigates…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Ascension Saint Thomas says it reported the incident to state regulators on the day it happened and immediately launched an investigation. Jagasia said that they quickly identified the cause of the in…
https://www.wsmv.com/2026/08/19/alleged-drug-mix-up-ascensio…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — A drug mix-up led to an "event" during joint replacement surgeries at Ascension St. Thomas Midtown Hospital in Tennessee, leaving at least one patient permanently paralyzed.
https://www.denver7.com/politics/health-care/medication-mix-…

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.