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In the second incident, two hospital nurses at the Mount Alvernia Hospital were rapped for giving a patient the wrong blood during a blood transfusion procedure, reported Zaobao this morning.
The patient was 84 years old and of the O blood type. She was being given the AB blood type until a relative (also a nurse but not at the hospital) saw the mistake and “shouted at the nurses to stop”.
What’s amazing is that the two nurses apparently did not stop the procedure and argued with the relative, claiming they were following doctors’ orders and insisting to carry out the transfusion, another family member told ZB.
The hospital has since apologized and admitted their mistake. It added that the two nurses did not follow hospital procedure and “lacked compassion” in how they treated the family. So, they’ve been given “disciplinary points”– though it’s unclear what that means.
Meanwhile, MOH said it was investigating the case and gave a waffly statement to ZB about how patients’ health are a priority and that hospitals are held up to rigorous standards.
This was probably an isolated case, but it’s still crazy to think that the nurses didn’t know not to give the wrong blood type to a patient. O is the universal donor type; it takes only O and not other blood types– isn’t this pretty common knowledge?
In any case, the report didn’t say if the 84-year-old patient’s health was affected by this mix-up. Asked for comment about the hospital’s response, the patient’s granddaughter said she would be contacting the hospital pending results of the investigation.
Real-life medical dramas in Singapore | Breakfast Network | An Eye on the News Singapore
Steps taken to prevent recurrence, says hospital
WE SINCERELY apologise for the distress caused to Madam Eileen Ang and her family arising from the near-miss incident involving her grandmother, who was recently warded at Mount Alvernia Hospital.
Following the incident on the night of Feb 23, the nurse manager on duty reported it to her supervising officer, and an internal investigation was immediately launched.
Our assistant director of nursing met and spoke with Madam Ang's family, and following the patient's discharge, our quality resource management principal manager also called her daughter to apologise for the incident.
The hospital views the incident seriously and has taken immediate measures to address it.
We have also spoken to both the nurse manager and the nurse involved, and taken disciplinary action for non-compliance with hospital protocol and lack of empathy when attending to Madam Ang's family.
The error was on the hospital's part and we apologise unreservedly for the oversight.
This incident should not have happened and we have taken steps to prevent a recurrence.
Goh Hock Soon
Director of Corporate Development
Mount Alvernia Hospital
Steps taken to prevent recurrence, says hospital
The patient was 84 years old and of the O blood type. She was being given the AB blood type until a relative (also a nurse but not at the hospital) saw the mistake and “shouted at the nurses to stop”.
What’s amazing is that the two nurses apparently did not stop the procedure and argued with the relative, claiming they were following doctors’ orders and insisting to carry out the transfusion, another family member told ZB.
The hospital has since apologized and admitted their mistake. It added that the two nurses did not follow hospital procedure and “lacked compassion” in how they treated the family. So, they’ve been given “disciplinary points”– though it’s unclear what that means.
Meanwhile, MOH said it was investigating the case and gave a waffly statement to ZB about how patients’ health are a priority and that hospitals are held up to rigorous standards.
This was probably an isolated case, but it’s still crazy to think that the nurses didn’t know not to give the wrong blood type to a patient. O is the universal donor type; it takes only O and not other blood types– isn’t this pretty common knowledge?
In any case, the report didn’t say if the 84-year-old patient’s health was affected by this mix-up. Asked for comment about the hospital’s response, the patient’s granddaughter said she would be contacting the hospital pending results of the investigation.
Real-life medical dramas in Singapore | Breakfast Network | An Eye on the News Singapore
Steps taken to prevent recurrence, says hospital
WE SINCERELY apologise for the distress caused to Madam Eileen Ang and her family arising from the near-miss incident involving her grandmother, who was recently warded at Mount Alvernia Hospital.
Following the incident on the night of Feb 23, the nurse manager on duty reported it to her supervising officer, and an internal investigation was immediately launched.
Our assistant director of nursing met and spoke with Madam Ang's family, and following the patient's discharge, our quality resource management principal manager also called her daughter to apologise for the incident.
The hospital views the incident seriously and has taken immediate measures to address it.
We have also spoken to both the nurse manager and the nurse involved, and taken disciplinary action for non-compliance with hospital protocol and lack of empathy when attending to Madam Ang's family.
The error was on the hospital's part and we apologise unreservedly for the oversight.
This incident should not have happened and we have taken steps to prevent a recurrence.
Goh Hock Soon
Director of Corporate Development
Mount Alvernia Hospital
Steps taken to prevent recurrence, says hospital
