Department of Health takes action against St Mary’s Hospital nurse
The patient at St Mary's Hospital is alleged to have died.
A VIDEO of a nurse allegedly verbally abusing a patient at the St Mary’s Hospital in Mariannhill has caused an outcry on social media.
The alleged incident that took place on Monday, 6 November, was captured on video and widely distributed on social media platforms.
The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health issued a statement strongly condemning the alleged conduct of the staff member.
“If true, it would be in violation of the code of conduct of health care professionals,” said the KZN Department of Health’s Samuel Mkhwanazi.
In the video, the nurse appears to address the patient in a manner that does not convey empathy. The nurse is also changing the patient’s nappy without drawing the bedside curtains to maintain the privacy of the patient.
“Such conduct is contrary to the Batho Pele principles and Codes Governing Health Care Professionals,” said Mkhwanazi.
Management of St Mary’s Hospital is dealing with the matter according to the Department of Health’s disciplinary procedures.
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The DA KZN spokesman on health, Dr Imran Keeka, MPL, said the political party wrote to the South African Nursing Council [SANC] following the video’s release.
“The DA strongly condemns this shocking and heinous behaviour, made worse only by the fact that this individual is supposed to be a professional, charged with taking care of very vulnerable patients.
“Sadly the victim has since passed away. The DA expresses its sincere condolences to her family who are no doubt suffering greatly as a result of this awful publicity showing how their mother was treated so badly during her final days,” concluded Keeka.
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