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The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
The spokesperson for Kwong Wah Hospital (KWH) made the following announcement today (May 21) regarding an incident of a hospitalised baby injured due to falling:
A 14-day-old baby girl was admitted to Special Baby Care Unit (SBCU) on April 26 due to respiratory problem via Accident and Emergency Department of KWH. The baby girl was transferred to Paediatric Intensive Care Unit on April 30 for further treatment. Her situation was improved and was transferred back to SCBU on May 2.
On May 6 afternoon, a nurse put the baby girl into an incubator for observation. She confirmed that the baby girl was properly put in the incubator before leaving the cubical. There was a woman taking care of her baby in the cubical concerned. Around fifteen minutes later, when the nurse concerned was handing over to another nurse, two nurses heard an abnormal sound and baby's crying sound. The nurses approached the cubical concerned immediately and the baby girl was found lying on the floor. One of the working windows of the incubator was opened at that time. The nurse also consulted the woman in the cubical concerned about the incident; she revealed that she had not witnessed the incident while she was focusing on taking care of her baby. She merely heard the sound of an object dropping onto the floor.
Immediate physical examination had been performed by paediatrician; and erythema over the head, neck and back were identified. The baby was conscious and Vital Signs were normal. Urgent X-rays and Computed Tomography Brain Scans showed that the skull and organs were normal and the baby was in stable condition.
Parents were notified of the situation in the afternoon on May 6 and the hospital expressed regret over the incident. Clinical consultation by doctors from Orthopedics & Traumatology and Neurosurgery Departments had been arranged to assess the clinical condition. As a safety measure, Magnetic Resonance Imaging had been arranged by Neurosurgeon on May 11 and revealed a small area of hemorrhage in the brain. Clinical assessment confirmed that no intervention was needed for this mild injury. The baby girl is still under observation in the hospital with stable condition.
The hospital is very concerned about the incident. It has been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office through the Advance Incidents Reporting System. An investigation panel involving multi-disciplinary experts has been formed to conduct an in-depth investigation to the incident, and the panel will submit the investigation report to the hospital management within eight weeks. The hospital will closely communicate with the family and offer necessary assistance.
Ends/Saturday, May 21, 2016
Issued at HKT 17:20
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