Hospital apologises for cutting off toddler’s finger

The management of  Loengnoktha Crown Prince Hospital has apologised after an assistant nurse accidentally cut off part of a toddler's right index finger while preparing the young patient for discharge, in the northeastern province of Yasothon.

In a message posted on its Facebook page the hospital said the year-old boy had been admitted for treatment for respiratory and gastrointestinal infections on Sept 2. The child  recovered and was being discharged on Friday.

“A worker was removing an intravenous tube ... . During the procedure the patient received a severe injury to his right index finger,” the hospital said.

The hospital said the child received immediate first aid and then treatment by paediatric, surgical and orthopedic doctors. It also sought help from plastic surgeons at Sunpasitthiprasong Hospital in Ubon Ratchathani.

Loengnoktha hospital staff visited to the young patient and his relatives, and the hospital would fully and fairly pay compensation for treatment, travel and rehabilitation

The management said it had revised procedures to ensure greater safety.

It was reported that a male assistant nurse had cut off part of the child's right index finger with a pair scissors while removing a gauze wrapping holding an intravenous tube in place. 

The severed finger part was put into an ice box and transported with the patient to Sunpasitthiprasong Hospital for immediate reattachment. The surgical procedure required two operations. Surgeons had yet to evaluate the outcome.

The assistant nurse was suspended pending an investigation into the cause of the injury.

A Facebook user who appeared to be the toddler's mother wrote that the assistant nurse inserted the scissors into the hand wrapping from the finger tip side and cut the wrap immediately, without checking inside to ensure avoiding her son's fingers.

Then a severed part of her son's index finger rolled out of the wrapping.