Angel Of Death | 60 Minutes

In his first television appearance, "Angel of Death" serial killer nurse Charles Cullen tells Steve Kroft of 60 Minutes he is sorry for murdering scores of patients, but he isn't sure he would have stopped if he hadn't been caught.

Cullen is the first serial killer to appear on 60 Minutes in its 45 years on the air and though he says he murdered between 30 and 40 victims on his confession tape -- portions of which will be broadcast for the first time -- some suspect he killed many more. Cullen's interview and the first interviews with key figures in his arrest will be broadcast on 60 Minutes Sunday, April 21 at 7 p.m. ET/PT.

I'm A Cool Jerk

It seems that in almost every hospital that I've worked in, the nursing department and the pharmacy department can never seem to get along. I've worked with my share of NWAs, but I've also witnessed pharmacists treating nurses disrespectfully for no apparent reason. It's like cats and dogs.

Personally, I see the nurses as being the front line of patient care, so I go out of my way to put myself in their shoes, and get them their meds accurately and promptly. Not having, or not being able to find, their patient's medications is the biggest gripe they have about pharmacy.

If you ask me, it's easy to get along with nurses. Once you remove "ego" from the equation, most nurses will appreciate your efforts and give you their full support too. And let me tell you, A LOT of problems and errors can be prevented when nursing and pharmacy work as a team.

It works for me. But, don't just take my word for it. Listen to how some of the strange nurses at my facility describe me, while also trying to convince others pharmacists to follow suit -

Nursing Versus Pharmacy

If you've been practicing what's left of your profession in the hospital setting for a while, then you've likely come to realize that nursing garners much of the decision-making power. They run the show from top to bottom. In my long itinerant career, I've even worked in a few hospitals where most of the hospital executives were former nurses. They don't forget where they came from and almost always strongly support the nurses in the trenches, sometimes at expense of other departments.

During that same period of time, you've probably also noticed that pharmacy has lost much of it's decision-making capabilities in the hospital setting. They don't have the same amount of power the used to have 15-20 years ago. As a matter of fact, I've even worked in a couple of for-profit hospitals where the pharmacy director has been replaced with a non-pharmacist.

That's right. Just like chain pharmacies and the PBMs, pharmacists working in hospitals often have to answer to non-pharmacist supervisors. As crazy as it may sound, in my career, I've had to answer to pharmacy technicians, radiology technicians, and even business majors who were put in charge of the pharmacy departments (directly and indirectly).

So, any pharmacists left running the pharmacy departments in hospitals sometimes have to resort to using rhetoric, flattery, ass-kissing, or some other type of bullshit rap to get what they want. If they're up against a nursing department who wants something differently, chances are they're going to lose.

But, don't just take my word for it.

I just happened to find video of our hospital's pharmacy and nursing directors arguing over the use of technology in reducing personnel costs, and showing who's really got the power. Just notice who's smiling, dancing, and sarcastically telling the frustrated pharmacist "Yeah, you're breaking my heart".

Justice in Bubbaville

Do y'all remember that outrageous hospital incident in the small West Texas town of Kermit where two nurses were fired and then criminally indicted for reporting their concerns about incompetent medical care to the Medical Board of Texas?

Two of the three nurses who reported their concerns, Anne Mitchell and Vickilyn Galle, soon became victims of a retaliatory good 'ol boy network when they legally pressed their concerns of a doctor possibly endangering patients at their hospital. Both nurses were indicted for criminal conduct they did not commit. Galle eventually had the charges dropped against her, and Mitchell was quickly acquitted at trial.

Well, the good news is that justice has been served in Bubbaville today.

Robert Roberts, the small town sheriff who was just one of the perpetrators in this case of vindictive and illegal retaliation, was found criminally guilty of six charges by a jury of his peers: two third-degree felony counts of retaliation, two third-degree felony counts of misuse of official information, and two class A misdemeanor counts of official suppression. He's also been judged guilty by many in the healthcare profession as being a class A dumb-ass.

The trial judge has sentenced Roberts to four years felony probation for the two counts each of misuse of official information and retaliation. He's also been sentenced to serve 100 days in jail on each of the four felony counts. Unfortunately, that sentence is ordered to be served concurrently, not consecutively. Roberts will also have to pay a $6,000 fine.

But, the best news for other healthcare professionals working in that county who may be worried about retaliation for putting patient care first, is that as a result of the sentence, Robert Roberts will also be removed as Winkler County Sheriff and will have to surrender his peace officer's license.

The other two perpetrators, Dr. Arafiles and County Attorney Scott Tidwell, were indicted on similar charges and are still awaiting their trials.