Fired Lurie Children's Hospital employee files whistleblower lawsuit
A former employee has accused Lurie Children’s Hospital of firing her because she reported alleged problems in its pharmacy to state regulators.
Christina Christner, who worked as a pharmacy technician at the hospital from August 2023 until April 2024, filed complaints with management and regulators alleging unsanitary practices with medication, according to her lawsuit. She was fired a week after state investigators visited the hospital, the lawsuit states.
"It was horrible; it was terrible," Christner said Tuesday about her time working at Lurie. "Their concern was not about the patients. Their concern was saving money and doing what they've always done, and not being current with new regulations, technology."
In the suit, Christner accused the hospital of reusing single-use vials of medications up to four days after they were first used — past their 12-hour expiration.
She also alleged pharmacy technicians reused gloves while compounding medication for patients, reused single-use fluid bags and used rubbing alcohol to clean surfaces instead of sterile alcohol, according to court documents.
Lurie Children's Hospital, in a statement to the Sun-Times on Tuesday, denied the allegations.
"Lurie Children's consistently prioritizes safe, high-quality care to the patients and communities we serve and fosters an ethical workplace for our employees," a spokesperson said.
The lawsuit, filed in Cook County Circuit Court, seeks back pay with interest, future lost earnings and unspecified damages.
Christner said she started voicing concerns as soon as she arrived at Lurie. She made a series of formal complaints in late November and early December 2023. The suit states she met with managers twice, where Christner said they turned the focus to her behavior and claimed she was targeting certain employees by filing the complaints.
In February, inspectors from the Joint Commission — which accredits health care organizations — made a surprise visit to Lurie where they gave management a list of issues to fix.
Christner alleges management claimed they were going to fight the recommendations.
"And it was at that point, I thought, 'I'm just going to go ahead and report them,' because that is not the attitude you should have," Christner said. She reported the hospital to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.
David Fish, a lawyer representing Christner, said they hope to get justice for Christner and improve conditions at Lurie.
"Employees who work at hospitals, particularly hospitals that deal with babies, should not be put in a position where they have to make a decision about whether to speak up about something they think is unsafe or risk losing their jobs," Fish said.