A nurse working in the neonatal intensive care unit of a large hospital in Daegu posted a message along with a photo of a hospitalized newborn that read, "I want to drop (I want to let fall)." The patient's parents discovered the abuse and reported it to the hospital.
According to the medical community on the 2nd, the nurse posted photos of the hospitalized newborn sitting on her lap or being held, along with this message on her social media.
This post was first revealed through an online community the day before. A tipster posted in the online community under the title, "I want to report abuse of a premature infant in the neonatal intensive care unit of a university hospital in Daegu." The nurse in the photo was seen handling the newborn taken out of an incubator without wearing sterile gloves.
The hospital became aware of this fact through a complaint. The victimized infant, who was facing discharge, was determined to have no health issues. The hospital also expressed its apologies to the parents of the infant through a meeting. The nurse is reported to have submitted her resignation.
The Korean Nurses Association also issued a statement regarding this incident, noting, "This has shocked and raised concerns among many citizens," and expressed regret.
In its statement, the Nurses Association stated, "This incident is a serious matter that undermines trust in all nurses, and a thorough investigation and strict measures will be taken." It added, "Unethical behavior is absolutely unacceptable, and we will do our best to establish preventive measures that prioritize patient safety in collaboration with the government and medical institutions."