Hospital Director Holds 90-Minute Conversation with Victim's Parents
Disciplinary Action Against Perpetrating Nurse Under Review... Follow-up Measures Initiated
Daegu Catholic University Hospital, where a controversy over neonatal abuse by a nurse arose, has acknowledged the hospital's fault and issued a public apology including to the parents of the affected infant. On the 3rd, a statement regarding the incident was posted on the hospital's website. In this statement, Hospital Director Kim Yoon-young expressed deep awareness of the seriousness of the social media (SNS) incident involving a nurse in the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit, promising a thorough investigation and active follow-up measures. He also emphasized that steps to prevent recurrence will be initiated.
According to a report by Newsis, on the same day, Director Kim met with the father of the affected infant, Mr. A, and had a conversation lasting about an hour and a half. Mr. A stated, "The hospital contacted me, and I spoke with the hospital director, who acknowledged the hospital's fault in this incident and said they would issue a public apology." It was also reported that the hospital is preparing disciplinary action against the nurse who submitted her resignation. Mr. A explained that the hospital promised to cooperate with the Ministry of Health and Welfare's investigation and the police inquiry. The hospital is currently investigating all nurses in the neonatal intensive care unit to determine if there are additional cases of abuse.
On the 3rd, a statement regarding the incident was posted on the Daegu Catholic University Hospital website. Daegu Catholic University Hospital website
The case has now been transferred to the Daegu Police Agency for investigation. When the child abuse victim is under 10 years old or disabled, the Daegu Police Agency conducts the investigation directly. Previously, a nurse posted on her SNS a photo of the infant patient along with abusive remarks such as "Seeing you scream, you must be able to be discharged tomorrow, so why did you come?" and "Really nasty temper," which sparked the controversy. It has also been revealed that other nurses, besides the one who resigned, posted potentially problematic content on their own SNS accounts.
Meanwhile, the Korean Nurses Association criticized the incident in a statement, calling it "a serious matter that shakes trust in all nurses." The association emphasized, "Nurses have a professional calling to protect and care for patients' lives. They especially have the responsibility to protect the most vulnerable newborns," and stressed that "a thorough investigation and strict measures will be ensured."
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