Linden maternal death…The report into the death of the Linden woman who died in childbirth has found that she was left with hospital interns while a nurse was the one administering drugs.“Why was the patient left with two unsupervised intern doctors and why was a nurse deciding what drugs to be administered to the patient?” asked Regional Health Officer Pansy Armstrong.She conducted an investigation into the death of Tricia Winth and her unborn child, who died three Sundays ago at the Linden Hospital Complex.Dead: Tricia WinthIn her report, Armstrong also questioned why a senior doctor wasn’t at the Linden Hospital Complex at the time.The original report which was ordered into the woman’s death was seen by this newspaper.The report also questioned why a nurse administered tablets without giving the patient any water and whether this was customary.It was also revealed in the report that the name of the nurse who administered the tablets was left out. The report also asked why the Chief Medical Officer of the hospital is never around.The investigating team consisted of the Regional Health Officer, Deputy Regional Executive Officer, the Hospital’s Matron and a Retired Public Health Nurse.Statements were taken from the husband of the deceased, Euibo Winth, the night supervisor at the hospital,Brian Campbell Jersey, the medical superintendent and various nurses on shift at the time of the woman’s death.One nurse who was interviewed said that she observed Winth and later referred her to the Medex.He said that on Saturday December 26, 2009, the woman complained of chest pains and vomited twice.She was taken to the Linden Hospital complex around 7:30 pm. All the while the husband had told the nurses that his wife’s blood pressure was fluctuating.The man said that he left the hospital around 10:00pm and received a call around 1:00am informing him that his wife had fainted and that preparations were being made to transfer her to the Georgetown Public Hospital.That was not to be. About twenty minutes later the husband said he received a call stating that his wife had passed away.A nurse who was also questioned stated that she was asked to review the patient. The nurse explained that Winth was receiving oxygen and was complaining of pains and also headaches.Contractions were lasting for approximately 20 seconds and Winth’s blood pressure was at 140/90. The woman was also 1cm dilated, and was urinating blood.An intern doctor from the Accident and Emergency Unit received the report and he advised verbally that the patient be catheterised (fluids to be drained from the patient).The same doctor came and informed another nurse to prepare the patient for the labour room, although by that time a normal delivery was out of the question.To compound matters the operating theater was not functioning.According to Health Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy, staff members were removing the equipment from the old hospital into the new complex. He also said that equipment would have to take two weeks to be sterilised.According to the nurse, Mrs Winth was also having problems breathing and oxygen was administered to her. The nurse notified her supervisor of the developments who in turn said that the Chinese doctors where not present and that the intern doctor should be summoned.The same intern doctor advised verbally that the patient should be catheterised again. Minutes later the doctor was again informed by the nurses that the woman had begun convulsing. At this time the patient was receiving various medication and oxygen and was in an unconscious state gasping for air.There was no foetal heart, and the patient died while arrangements were being made for her to be transferred to the Georgetown Hospital.
