A nurse has admitted that they caused the death of a newborn after they neglected to turn on the humidifier before taking their break.
Craig Wilson told a hearing in Edinburgh yesterday that he “caused or contributed” to the death of a baby in Glasgow’s Princess Royal Maternity Unit after made the fatal error before going on his break.
Another nurse at the hospital said that she has already prepared the humidifier and had set everything up, Wilson was only required to turn it on.
The baby, who was born 13 weeks prematurely, was said to be doing well in an incubator before the tragic error was made.
The newborn was found by another member of hospital staff who said he was cold to the touch who then raised the alarm.
On returning from his break, Wilson said:
“F**k, I forgot to turn it on.”
The baby was pronounced dead later that day from hypothermia and multiple organ failure.
Wilson, who has been a nurse for 13 years, admitted that he had recorded that he had turned on the humidifier and initially said someone else must have turned it off.
However, later his representative said that Wilson had admitted to failing to turn on the humidifier.
Nurse Christine McInally told the hearing:
“I filled the humidifer with water myself. He just had to switch it on.”
When asked if she believed Wilson to be a good nurse, Christine refused to answer.
Wilson also admits to a second charge of falsely claiming that a baby in his care at the Southern General Maternity Hospital was given ulcer medication when they weren’t.
