Kentucky passes first-ever state law decriminalizing medical mistakes

Editor's Note

Healthcare workers in Kentucky will become the first in the country to gain protection from criminal prosecution for medical errors, WKYT reported April 30.

Passed unanimously by both chambers of the Kentucky legislature and signed by Gov. Andy Beshear in March, the law was championed by the Kentucky Nurses Association as a means of retaining and recruiting nurses. According to the report, it stops short of protections from civil liability. Those committing willful, malicious, or reckless acts also remain subject to prosecution.

Governing boards, such as the Kentucky Medical Board and Board of Nursing, will still review and respond to mistakes, the report notes.