A nurse in Samoa who has admitted she injected a pregnant 23 year old mother with the wrong medicine, which allegedly caused the mother’s death along with her unborn child, is still employed by the Ministry of Health.
TV1Samoa reports the startling revelation was disclosed at a coronial inquest into the deaths of Victoria Samuelu and her baby last year.
According to the report, Coroner and District Court Judge Alalatoa Rosella Papalii was ‘’surprised and shocked’’ that the registered nurse, Mele Leilua, was still employed at Tupua Tamasese National Hospital.
Leilua, who was on duty the night Victoria Samuelu died, told the inquest that she injected the wrong medicine into the deceased’s intravenous drip.
She said, it was the antibiotic ampicillin which was prescribed for another patient named Titanic but she mistook Titanic as Victoria.
She also admitted the injection was not ordered by a doctor and she took it upon herself to administer the medicine for the patient adding she did not ask the patient if she was allergic to ampicillin.
The inquest was told that Leilua had failed to note the administered medicine on the patient’s medical record.
Alalatoa told the inquest that it seemed the witness was trying to cover up the mistake she had made.
Five witnesses including doctors and nurses gave evidence at the inquest which has now been adjourned until February, 2021.
