That was the declaration of the hospital staff who was on duty the night of May 29. Many questions were raised by the woman’s children but the only answer they got was one that would obviously get the nurse on duty off the hook.
Liverpool, NSW. May 30, 2013. It was a sad day for the children of Mrs. Inocencia Molina-Crescini when they found out today that their mother had a big lump on her head. It was only then when they were informed that she was found on the floor of her room at Liverpool Hospital. Nobody could tell as to what time she fell. There was no information on why she fell or how she got out of bed that had protective railings on both sides.
The previous night, she was smiling and talking. Everybody thought their beloved “Nanay” could go home when they were advised by the physical therapist to bring a walker. Her eldest son and carer Manuel Crescini Jr. thought that was an indication that she could go home.
But they found her unconscious and obviously in a coma that morning. They were later informed that she could die any time soon. Thus, all life support were taken off and she was regarded by hospital authorities as a palliative case.
Only a few days before, members of her immediate family were informed by the doctor on duty that it was not in her best interest to resuscitate Mrs. Crescini should her heart fail. Her children nevertheless remained hopeful that she would surpass the crisis.
Then it happened — she fell and was found lying on the floor in the morning of May 30.
The doctor on duty was quick to reinforce the statement made by the nurse, saying that “there were only two nurses that night — not enough to look after all the patients often enough.”
In a last ditch effort to revive her from coma, members of her family asked the doctor on duty to administer dextrose. It took about an hour before a male nurse came with the equipment. But it was too late. Mrs. Inocencia Crescini passed away at 7:45 pm that same evening. She was laid to rest at Liverpool Cemetery on June 7, 2013. She would have been 94 on July.
As of press time, the family is still waiting for the coroner’s report that will hopefully determine the real cause of her death.
A Director of Nursing in another medical institution was quoted as saying: “all persons in hospital care have a right to be treated with respect and dignity.” “The family has a right to be informed immediately if anything untoward happens to the patient,” she added. Apparently, none of these things happened.
by Dino Crescini