Daegu University Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Nurse Abuse Controversy
A nurse from a Daegu general hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) has sparked public outrage by posting photos on social media that imply abuse of the newborns under her care.
The nurse has come under fire for making problematic comments while handling the newborns inappropriately.
According to the medical community on the 2nd, Nurse A, who works at a general hospital in Daegu, recently posted several photos taken during her shift on her social media.
In one of the posts, she sat a newborn on her lap with a caption reading, “I’m getting a little angry (anger management issues).” In another photo, she shared a picture of the child’s face with the line, “What time is it? Get some sleep now.”
Even more shocking is her use of the phrase “I feel like dropping (want to drop)” while holding onto the newborn's outfit.
Online Spread and Public Anger
These photos rapidly spread through online communities and parenting cafes starting from the 1st, inciting public outrage. Given the nature of the NICU, which treats vulnerable newborns requiring special care, including preterm and underweight infants, there has been severe criticism about Nurse A's actions causing serious ethical issues.
In the anonymous workplace community “Blind,” comments such as “I’m so angry my hands are shaking” and “I was left speechless after seeing the photos. We need to raise public awareness” were prevalent. Particularly, one comment noting, “Seeing that small hand tightly gripping the nurse's shirt is tearing my heart apart” resonated with many.
Choi, in her 30s, who has previously had a child admitted to the NICU, expressed her anger by saying, “Parents shed tears every time they visit their kids, and thinking that the nurse acted like that is chilling.”
Hospital's Response and Nursing Association's Position
The hospital recognized the seriousness of the situation and took immediate action.
Currently, only one victim, the patient depicted in the photo, has been identified, and it is reported that Nurse A has communicated her intention to resign along with an expression of remorse to the hospital.
The hospital sent an apology to the parents of the newborns, stating, “We sincerely apologize for the incident caused by the personal misconduct of our nurse. All medical staff in the NICU are aware of the situation's severity.” Additionally, they completed a meeting with the parents of the affected patient and are investigating whether there are any additional victims.
A hospital representative stated, “We have received confirmation that the allegations are true, and, given the gravity of the matter, we are striving to take appropriate measures.”
The Korean Nurses Association also released a statement expressing, “We deeply regret the shock and concern this has caused to the public” and emphasized that “this incident is a serious issue that undermines trust in all nurses, and thorough investigations and severe measures will be taken.”
The association added, “Unethical behavior will never be tolerated, and we will do our utmost to collaborate with the government and medical institutions to develop preventive measures prioritizing patient safety.”
Image source: Online community, unrelated material photo / gettyimagesbank
