A senior charge nurse who cared for a baby who died at a hospital told a probe she wouldn’t have done anything different.
Lorna McSeveney made the claim today at the Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) of Sophia Smith who lost her life when she was 11 days at Glasgow’s Royal Hospital for Children on 11th April, 2017.
Sophia, who had Down’s Syndrome, had been transferred from the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley, Renfrewshire, due to breathing difficulties.
It was then discovered that there was a problem with her heart.
Despite initial improvement in her health, Sophia later suffered bleeding and a collapsed lung.
Sophia sadly passed away and tests found that the baby had a serious bacterial infection.
An FAI is a public examination of the circumstances of a death in the public interest before a Sheriff which does not apportion blame or fault.
Miss McSeveney – who has since retired – told the hearing that she cared for Sophia on the day before and the day of her death.
Advocate depute Chris Fyffe asked the witness with the benefit of hindsight if she would have done anything differently?
Miss McSeveney replied: “No, I don’t think so.”
Miss McSeveney stated that if she was aware there was an infection that she would have alerted a doctor to prescribe antibiotics.
Mr Fyffe later asked Miss McSeveney if there was anything additional which could have been done on top of what was there.
She replied: “Not from my point of view.”
The former nurse was earlier asked by Mr Fyffe if there was anything which gave her concern on the day before Sophia’s death.
Miss McSeveney said: “Not that I remember – she was stable. She was a sick baby but she was stable.”
The hearing today was taken through a variety of medical graphs noted throughout the day of 10th April, 2017 – the day before Sophia’s death.
One graph showed that there was an increase in the amount of oxygen provided to Sophia by a machine.
Sophia was also given extra nitric oxide to help blood pressure in her lungs around 3pm when her condition began to deteriorate.
Mr Fyffe asked the Miss McSeveney if there was a discussion later on about a possible infection to which she replied: “I don’t know.”
The probe earlier heard from Sophia’s mum Theresa Smith who stated that she reported a change in her daughter’s colour which she reported to a member of staff.
Mr Fyffe asked Miss McSeveney if she noticed a change in the colour of Sophia’s skin and she replied: “No, I would have remembered it.”
The witness also stated that there were handwashing protocols done on the ward which included the use of posters.
Miss McSeveney said staff members had a “professional responsibility” to do wash their hands which included after each interaction with a baby.
She stated that she had to remind staff members and parents in the past about washing hands on the neonatal unit.
Evidence was earlier heard from Sophia’s father Matthew Smith that consultants sometimes did not wash their hands.
Miss McSeveney told the family’s lawyer Iain Mitchell KC that it was “not something I witnessed.”
The witness further stated that parents are also advised to wipe their mobile phones before using them on the ward.
Retired director infection control for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Pamela Joannidis, 63, gave evidence.
She stated that it “can be” difficult to find out where the strain of bacteria found in Sophia’s system comes from and how it ended up in her blood stream.
Miss Joannidis stated that an investigation on whether the strain appeared in patients six months before Sophia contracted it came back as negative.
The same was true for the strain during an investigation on patients six months after Sophia contracted it.
Advocate dispute Chris Fyffe asked: “Essentially the 12 months between Sophia’s infection there were no similar cases?”
Miss Joannidis: “Yes.”
The witness stated that the infection could enter the system via a device – such as a needle – brings it into the blood stream after the skin containing the organism is pierced.
Miss Joannidis added that a line that remains in the body can also create a “doorway” for an infection to enter the blood stream.
Smith family lawyer Iain Mitchell KC asked: “If the infection did happen, is as suggested, it is because protocols were not followed?”
Miss Joannidis replied: “I can’t rule it out – we can’t rule out that hypothesis.”
The inquiry continues tomorrow before Sheriff McDonald.