The family of a frail grandmother who died after falling from her hospital bed have criticised the care she received.
Christina Leaper was 88 when she died in January 2011 after receiving care at the Redcar Primary Care Hospital.
A resumed inquest held at Teesside Magistrates' Court on Monday heard that Mrs Leaper had died from a subdural hematoma - bleeding on the brain - a week after she fell from her hospital bed.
Mrs Leaper, who had suffered from asthenic heart disease, angina, high cholesterol and hyper-tension, had been admitted to hospital in December 2010 after a fall at her home in Marske.
She was transferred to James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough on December 29 with a deep vein thrombosis, but came back to Redcar Hospital in January after being prescribed the blood thinning medication Warfarin.
She was found on the floor by staff at about 2am on January 22, 2011, Teesside’s Acting Senior Coroner Clare Bailey heard.
Giving evidence to the inquest, Mary Geraldine Helm, the staff nurse on duty on the Zetland ward the night of Mrs Leaper’s fall, said that bars on the side of her bed had been up despite the fall.
Mrs Leaper’s daughter Christine and son Kevin continually asked witnesses if rails had been up to prevent her from falling.
They said that in an investigation carried out by the South Tees Hospital Trust into Redcar Primary Care Hospital after Mrs Leaper’s death, the healthcare assistant working with nurse Helm had said the rails were not up.
Kevin Leaper said: “She did not have the strength to pull herself up and over the rails.”
In a statement after the inquest, Mrs Leaper’s family said they “have now lost total faith in the whole of the medical profession”.
In her evidence, nurse Helm said that she and a health care assistant helped Mrs Leaper up after her fall, and noticed a bump and graze on her head.
She said they asked Mrs Leaper if she had any pain and helped her back into bed, then observed her every 30 minutes.
None of these observations were recorded, and nurse Helm was not aware Mrs Leaper was on Warfarin.
Ms Helm told the inquest that on the night of Mrs Leaper’s fall, she was working her first shift on the ward for some time and was also covering the Urgent Care ward downstairs in the hospital.
She said she felt there should have been another trained nurse with her to ease her back in to life on the ward, and that she should have been told Mrs Leaper was on Warfarin.
Another nurse, Nicole Webb, took over at 7.30am.
She told the inquest she knew Mrs Leaper was taking Warfarin as it was noted in her drugs chart.
Ms Webb conducted two neurological observations on Mrs Leaper, noting the results, and on the third examination called for an ambulance to transfer Mrs Leaper to James Cook Hospital after she complained of feeling nauseous and became disorientated.
At accident and emergency, tests were done which showed a subdural hematoma.
Mrs Leaper was not considered a suitable candidate for surgery, and she was put on an end-of-life care pathway.
Mrs Leaper returned home to Marske. She died on January 29.
Acting Senior Coroner Clare Bailey accepted evidence from independent pathologist Dr Jan Lowe, and recorded a narrative verdict.
“Mrs Leaper died from the consequences of an unwitnessed fall.
"It was contributed to by necessary medication for another condition," she said.
“There were some issues at the Redcar Primary Care Hospital, but I am satisfied they have been considered appropriately, and lessons have been learned.”
Ms Bailey did not make a verdict on the disputed evidence as to whether or not the rails on Mrs Leaper’s bed were up.
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