Telford care home nurse force-fed patient against will, court told
A nurse was seen feeding a distressed Telford care home resident, who later died, against his will, a court was told.
The claim was made by Claire Bates, who was a healthcare assistant at the Priory Nursing Home in Wellington, while giving evidence in the trial of Marianna Kailath at Shrewsbury Crown Court.
Kailath, 56, of Whitchurch Road, Wellington, denies three charges – one of assault, and two of a failure to discharge a duty of care.
The charges relate to the treatment of 83-year-old care home resident Peter Egan on July 27, 2014. Kailath is accused of force-feeding Mr Egan, who had difficulties swallowing, and of failing to complete records stating when he had been given liquids.
Mr Egan died later the same day, although Mr John Oates, prosecuting, said that medical experts had found no causal link between his death and "what had happened before".
Giving evidence yesterday, Ms Bates said she had been told that Mr Egan should only be given small amounts of liquid at a time – about five to 10 millilitres – and that they should be "thickened" to reduce the risk that he might choke.
She said Mr Egan should also be fed in an upright position to prevent choking risks.
But she told the court that when she visited Mr Egan's room, she found Kailath, the registered nurse in charge of the home, feeding him about 200 millilitres of prescribed energy drink.
She said: "Peter was in bed, he was lying down quite flat. He was not sat up and the nurse had her right hand on his forehead.
"She had the beaker of energy drink in her other hand and was pouring it into his mouth."
Ms Bates told the jury that Mr Egan was flailing his arms and seemed "distressed".
She said she went to fetch colleague Linda Forsyth, and said that when they returned the bed had been slightly raised but that Mr Egan was still putting out his arms as if to say stop.
Ms Bates said the nurse was telling Mr Egan to "swallow, swallow", as she poured.
Mrs Forsyth told the court she thought Mr Egan was in distress.
The court also heard that Kailath had refused to sign a form which kept a record of how much fluid had been given. When pressed on the matter she said she had her own form to fill in.
Ms Bates completed the form instead and asked Kailath to sign it, to which she refused.
Mr Brett Williamson, for Kalaith, said there was nothing untoward about other members of staff completing the fluid form on behalf of other workers they had witnessed providing food or drink. Both Ms Bates and Mrs Forsyth agreed.
He also suggested that Mr Egan was saying stop with his hands to illustrate he had enough in his mouth. Both Ms Bates and Mrs Forsyth were asked if Mr Egan, or his pillows had been wet after the incident and both said he was not.
The trial continues.
