A Quarteira nurse who burnt the penis of one patient and left another to suffer in agony for hours has been sentenced to four years in jail by Évora’s appeal court. The nurse, who denied all charges, was condemned for four separate cases of maltreatment. Three of the four patients involved have since died, writes Correio da Manhã newspaper.
The ruling dates back to incidents between 2004 and 2005 when the 63-year-old woman – since stripped of her credentials – worked in the internment centre at Loulé Health Centre.
The court heard how the nurse completely ignored the symptoms of a 78-year-old patient who had just suffered a stroke even though she was aware that “something was wrong”.
“Instead of calling a doctor, the defendant left the elderly woman to suffer for eight hours in bed. It was a medical auxiliary who, on serving a snack, realised what was the matter and called a doctor,” writes the newspaper.
In another case, she poured a liberal amount of ethyl ether on an open wound on the back of a male patient. The liquid dribbled down the man’s back and onto his exposed genitals leaving him with “very serious burns”, reported the newpaper.
The court also heard how one elderly patient fighting for breath was left without any medication and another was left in soiled nappies.
Évora court’s decision now gives no recourse for further appeal. The nurse has to stay in jail until the chance of remand.
