AN ELDERLY woman died after her head became trapped in a cot side on her hospital bed.
Sile Coyle (85) of Ardsmore, Gortahork, Co Donegal, died on her first night at Falcarragh Community Nursing Unit in August 2008.
Mrs Coyle, who family said was in good health, had gone into the hospital for a rest. However, her respite resulted in her death after she was asphyxiated.
Nurse Carmel O’Rourke, who had worked at the hospital since 1999, told Letterkenny Coroner’s Court that on August 14th, 2008, she and another nurse were looking after 25 patients.
Another patient had died at 3.10am, but Ms O’Rourke said they continued to check on all patients. The last time she checked on Mrs Coyle was between 6.30am and 6.45am.
She seemed well and was lying on her back with two pillows on either side of her.
However, when she went back in to check on Mrs Coyle at about 7.40am, she noticed her head was stuck between the cot side and the bed’s head.
She tried to lift her up but could not and called for help from nurse Mary Boyle.
Ms Boyle said the first she heard there was anything wrong was when Ms O’Rourke called to her at 7.40am.
Ms Boyle said she went to Mrs Coyle’s bed and noticed her head was trapped in the cot at the top of the bed and was being held by Ms O’Rourke.
She went to get oxygen as Ms O’Rourke started cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Ms O’Rourke then went for a defibrillator and Ms Boyle took over CPR.
When the defibrillator was put on Mrs Coyle, a warning came on that shocking was not recommended.
Both nurses continued CPR until Dr Neil Loftus arrived and pronounced Mrs Coyle dead at 8.10am.
The dead woman’s son, Eugene Coyle, said this was the first time his mother was left in the hospital for “a few days”.
Mr Coyle said that his mother was absent-minded but was in general good health.
The next morning when he got a phonecall from Ms O’Rourke to say his mother had died, he was shocked.
Sgt Martin Rochford of Falcarragh Garda station said he was called to the nursing home on August 15th at 9.20am after a report of a sudden death.
Pathologist Dr David Barry carried out a postmortem on Mrs Coyle’s body.
He said he noticed a large bruising measuring 10cm by 2cm on her neck.
Dr Barry said Mrs Coyle died of acute asphyxia contributed to by bronchial pneumonia and coronary artery narrowing. “It would have made her give up the ghost earlier than would have been the case.”
The coroner’s court heard how no training had been given to nursing staff in Ireland on the use of cot sides before Mrs Coyle’s death.
However, the director of nursing at Falcarragh Community Nursing Unit, Geraldine McClean, revealed a serious incident review team had been set up to examine ways of improving safety of cot sides.
All staff in Co Donegal are now trained in the use of cot sides and all cots are fitted with warning stickers, while a similar programme is being rolled out across the country.
The jury found that death was due to asphyxiation after Mrs Coyle caught her head in the cot and that underlying health matters may or may not have left the victim in a weakened state so that she could not release herself.
“We feel the elderly are deserving of the highest care,” said the spokesman.
The jury foreman added that a programme of training for safety around cots should continue and asked that patient and health staff ratio should be examined.
Coroner John Cannon said that no one but the family knows the sudden loss they have felt.
But he said that it was reassuring to know that her death was not in vain and that the guidelines had now been adopted since her death.