The Tragedy
Avriel Price was a 34-year-old woman who entered a hospital for a scheduled C-section. A Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (“CRNA”) administered a heart medication, digoxin, in her spine instead of the intended medication, bupivacaine. This caused her paralysis and death. Per an investigation, the CRNA said she read the expiration date multiple times, but each time she did not read the label identifying the name of the medication. She bypassed the Pyxis medication dispensing machine and opened the cabinet to retrieve medications. She dismissed symptoms indicating a medical emergency and disregarded the nursing staff’s concerns and observations. She was a traveling nurse licensed in many states. She surrendered her license in Nevada, moved to another state, and continued working as a CRNA. There were no other consequences. Avriel’s family has never met the CRNA, although they were in the hospital before, during, and after this event. Our intent here is to create awareness. To the general public reading this, we encourage you to sign on to the database nursys.com. This site will inform you of any discipline filed against a nurse. Be your own patient advocate and do research prior to a surgery. We wish for awareness so individuals can be proactive instead of reactive. If you are a healthcare professional reading this, we implore you to ALWAYS read the label, whether medication is given orally, intravenously, or surgically. If you are an administrator at a healthcare facility, we encourage you to share her story with all new hires to help prevent this from occurring. Following the egregious medical event, the nurses who cared for Avriel and each person’s name are forever etched in our memory as the kindest, most caring individuals that every new nurse entering the field should model. We thank them all.
The Person
Avriel Price was born a twin on March 30, 1988, in South Lake Tahoe. Though she only graced this world mere seconds before her sister, she would never shy away from telling everyone she was the older of the two, made more comical by the fact that she had both a younger and older brother to contend with. Her love of the outdoors reflected her birthplace and stayed with her long after she moved down the mountain to the small town of Gardnerville, NV. This, more than anywhere else, would become the place that she would consider home. It’s where she spent most of her life, attending elementary school, two separate middle schools, and eventually graduating from Douglas High School. Never an unsociable girl, Avriel never lacked for friends. Whether it be playing soccer, going camping or fishing, having barbecues and drinks with friends, or even dancing in the pouring rain, Avriel was always at the center of a good time. Her quick wit and sense of humor lifted up all those who knew her. As she grew, her love for Lake Tahoe grew with her, the beach being a near weekly destination. After high school, she attended Western Nevada College, where she received a degree in deaf studies. As always, life is a winding and unpredictable road, which is how she somehow ended up in a successful career as a dermatologist’s procedural assistant. Avriel was a mother to a beautiful baby girl who we love and miss, a sister, a daughter, a granddaughter, a friend, and so much more than words could ever describe.
The Silver Lining
Avriel was an Organ Donor and her gift of life helped save 5 people who would receive her heart, lungs, kidneys, and liver. She was honored at the Rose Parade on January 1, 2025, for her life saving gifts to these individuals.
The recipient of her heart is a wonderful mother of 3 children. We are happy to report that we have a close relationship with her.
Avriel’s family attends many events to honor her by advocating for organ donation awareness.
