If you ask me, more than an apology is in order, what about accountability?
A Saskatoon mom is demanding an apology from the Royal University Hospital after her seven month old son nearly died due to dehydration.
Traci La Frenier's baby Conner was experiencing severe vomiting and diarreah that wasn't letting up. She took her baby to a walk in clinic but was told to go home and to feed him Pedialyte - a fluid like a "baby" gatorade to get him back up to par. A good first step. But when it was obvious to La Frenier it wasn't working, she took him the next day to emergency. Again she was sent away and left to tend to her baby on her own. Fifty-six hours into his illness, little Conner began to convulse. The once plump and healthy infant had sunken in cheeks, protruding ribs and pale skin. Enroute to the hospital for a third time, he became totally unresponsive.
I can just imagine how the mom felt at this point.
Luckily though, this time he was promptly attended to. But by this point Conner's condition was so poor, doctors didn't know if he would survive the night. La Frenier was told normally 20 units of fluid are enough to bump up rehydration but little Conner needed 60 units.
Today he's doing fine and naturally his mom is relieved, but she's also upset with the treatment or lack thereof that her son received and she wants an apology. If it were me, I'd be wanting a little more than that.
"We are terribly sorry to hear that this is how she feels about it," Dr. Lawrence Givlichian, head of the department of pediatrics has said, adding it was all "an unfortunate chain of events." "Definitely an apology will be made more formally."
This was more than "an unfortunate chain of events." A tiny boy almost lost his life due to a lack of care and attention. Mistakes can and will happen - no one is perfect - but this woman trusted and depended on a health care system that left her high and dry. There's just no excuse for that. If you take a small ill child to the doctor then at least let the doctor examine him or her before you send the child away.
It's not a knock against all nurses and doctors because there are a lot of fantastic professionals out there, it's a knock against a particular happening that shouldn't have happened and if you ask me, aside from an apology there should be some disciplinary action. We're talking about a human life. If you're not up to doing your job then perhaps you're in the wrong field.
