Nursing assistant cuts of baby's finger joint

[tigress_8207, ASN, BSN]

Hi all posted this thread in nursing news but thought i'd post it here too for those of you that may not visit that forum.This happened at one of our leading hospitals last friday.An accidental severing of the top joint of the little finger of an 11wk old baby boy is engaging the attention of the management of the hospital.A statement issued by the nursing office said the child's mother had approached the nurses station on the ward with the child on her shoulder to have a branula [the plastic piece left in the vein from the iv drip] removed.A nursing assistant after confirming the baby's discharge with the doc on duty at the time attempted to remove with a pair of scissors the strapping which kept the branula in place on the child's arm.The nursing assistant realised something was wrong when she attempted to remove the remainder of the bandage to find that the top joint of the baby's finger had been accidentally severed.The doc on duty promptly apologised to the child's parents and advised them of what steps would be taken by the hospital to repair the damaged finger.The child underwent surgery the same night and was resting comfortably back on the ward.

[TazziRN, RN]

Ouch.........