Daegu Catholic University Hospital Apologizes Over Newborn Photo Controversy
Daegu Catholic University Hospital has directly apologized to the parents of the victimized infant regarding a recent controversy over inappropriate social media posts by a nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit that sparked accusations of child abuse.
The hospital is preparing severe disciplinary action against the nurse in question and has promised a public apology.
Kim Yoon-young, the president of Daegu Catholic University Hospital, met with the parents of the abused infant, acknowledging the hospital's wrongdoing and expressing his apologies.
It is reported that the hospital has agreed to the parents' demand for a "public apology."
The nurse, referred to as A, posted a photo of an infant patient along with images of herself working in the neonatal intensive care unit on social media last month, accompanied by inappropriate phrases such as, "Getting my anger management issues flaring up" and "Feeling the urge to drop (getting impulses)," which stirred controversy.
The parents of the infant reported A for verbal abuse and posting the photo, as well as failures to use sterile gloves during infant care, which they consider as child abuse. President Kim Yoon-young has also been held accountable due to negligence in nurse training and ward management. The hospital has initiated its own investigation and is preparing severe disciplinary action without accepting A’s resignation.
After reviewing related laws, the hospital is considering actions such as revoking the nurse's license, banning re-employment, and withholding severance pay.
The parents of the victimized infant have demanded written confirmation of measures to prevent recurrence and compensation methods, as well as requesting the same actions for other affected infants. The police are investigating whether there are additional accomplices based on claims from parents that at least five to six infants have been abused. The hospital is also searching for further accomplices through its internal investigation.
This incident is a result of the lack of ethical consciousness among medical staff, leading to significant social repercussions. There are increasing calls for medical institutions to prioritize patient safety and rights and to strengthen their internal management systems.
Image source: Online Community
