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Nurse Who Survived Ebola Plans To Sue Dallas Hospital

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Nina Pham is one of two Dallas nurses who were infected with Ebola.

A North Texas nurse who contracted Ebola last fall says the Dallas hospital where she worked and its parent company failed her.

Nina Pham told The Dallas Morning News she plans on filing a lawsuit Monday against Texas Health Resources, the parent company of Texas Health Presbyterian.

That’s the hospital where Thomas Eric Duncan was treated for Ebola. Pham and another nurse who cared for Duncan contracted the deadly disease. Duncan died in October. Pham and the other nurse, Amber Vinson, recovered.

Pham told the Morning Newsthat Presbyterian Hospital lacked training and proper equipment to treat Ebola patients.

Pham says since she contracted Ebola, she has had nightmares, body aches and insomnia, and that some of her hair has fallen out.

Texas Health Resources says it continues to support Pham, but wouldn’t address the allegations. 

“Nina Pham served very bravely during a most difficult time, as we all struggled to deal with the first case of Ebola to arrive in a U.S. hospital’s emergency room," Texas Health spokesman Wendell Watson told KERA. "Texas Health Resources has a strong culture of caring and compassion. And we view all our employees as part of our family. That’s why we have continued to support Nina, both during and after her illness. And it’s why she is still a member of our team. As distressing as the lawsuit is to us, we remain optimistic that we can resolve this matter with Nina.”

Read the Morning News story here.

Eric Aasen is KERA’s managing editor. He helps lead the station's news department, including radio and digital reporters, producers and newscasters. He also oversees keranews.org, the station’s news website, and manages the station's digital news projects. He reports and writes stories for the website and contributes pieces to KERA radio. He's discussed breaking news live on various public radio programs, including The Takeaway, Here & Now and Texas Standard, as well as radio and TV programs in New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
Doualy Xaykaothao is a newscaster and reporter for NPR, based in Culver City. She returned to NPR for this role in 2018, and is responsible for writing, producing, and delivering national newscasts. She also reports on breaking news stories for NPR.