Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Nurse Accountability Public Comment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Mother of Alisa Serna urges BRN committee to strengthen training and discipline after daughter died in custody
Summary
During public comment at the June 25 MEWAC meeting, Paloma Serna, with Saving Lives in Custody California, told the committee her 24-year-old daughter died while in custody in San Diego County and urged stricter training, supervision and accountability for nurses and nursing program oversight.
Paloma Serna, representing Saving Lives in Custody California, addressed the Nursing Education and Workforce Advisory Committee during the public comment portion of the June 25 meeting. She described the death of her daughter, Alisa (age 24), while in custody in San Diego County and urged the BRN and nursing education community to ensure better training, supervision and accountability for nurses.
Serna described her daughter’s final hours, saying Alisa was in apparent distress from alcohol withdrawal — “throwing up, having seizures, and clearly in distress” — and that nurses aboard the custody facility failed to provide appropriate care. She named an individual, Dana Lee Pasquale, alleging the nurse observed Alisa collapse and did not provide timely assistance. Serna said the nurse had not faced discipline.
Why this was raised at MEWAC Serna linked her concern to items on MEWAC’s agenda — training, supervision, program director qualifications and board oversight — and urged the committee to strengthen mechanisms that ensure clinical competence and accountability: “My daughter's death could have been prevented, and no other family should go through what mine did.”
What the committee said Chair Garrett Chan thanked Serna for her comment and expressed condolences. BRN staff noted the public comment period limits the committee’s ability to act immediately on matters not listed on the agenda but will consider whether to place the matter on a future agenda or refer to appropriate BRN staff for follow-up.
What was not claimed Members did not make any determination about the facts of the alleged incident during the June 25 meeting; Serna’s remarks were recorded as public comment and not as evidence of a disciplinary outcome. The transcript reflects Serna’s statement that the nurse named “still haven’t faced any discipline,” which the article reports as the speaker’s claim rather than as a verified disciplinary finding.
Ending The committee acknowledged the comment and indicated BRN staff would note it; no disciplinary or investigatory action was announced at the meeting.
