TDT | Manama
Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com
Bahrain’s High Court of Appeal has upheld the acquittal of a nurse charged with manslaughter of an Asian patient who died after falling while transferring him from his bed to a wheelchair, causing complications.
The court found from the case documents that the appellant was not present at the time of the victim’s fall.
Meanwhile, the second defendant’s acquittal was unanimously overturned, and he was found guilty and sentenced to one year in prison.
Prosecutors have brought two nurses to trial on charges of manslaughter as a result of violating professional procedures.
The incident began when an Asian patient who was suffering from a fever was reported to have died. She was diagnosed with a cerebral hemorrhage on a CT scan and was rushed to the hospital.
But she died.
Negligence
The court sought an expert opinion from the National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA) and concluded that the two nurses supervising the victim were negligent.
A medical error occurred when transferring a patient from a bed to a wheelchair, and the patient fell to the ground and hit his head.
The second defendant did not inform the doctors who treated the victim what had happened.
The court found the second defendant guilty, but said the first defendant was not present when the victim fell.
This was established by the Disciplinary Committee in addition to witness statements supporting the fact that the first appellant was not present at the time of the incident.
Further, the first appellant denied all charges leveled against her by the NHRA in the record of investigation.
The court added that criminal sentences are based on certain evidence, not speculation.
There was no evidence incriminating the appellant in the case documents. Therefore, they decided it was necessary to determine her innocence.