Nurse severs baby’s thumb while removing IV line with scissors

The baby’s father told reporters that the thumb got cut “due to the nurse” and requested appropriate action against her. A doctor performed a surgical procedure to get the severed part attached to its original position, he said. Dr G Ravikumar, Thanjavur Government Medical College Dean, said the baby shuddered while the Intravenous Line was removed by the nurse using scissors and the tip portion of the thumb, starting from the middle, got cut. “We have started an enquiry,” he said, adding that a committee has been formed to look into the matter.

The nurse has gone on leave and appropriate action would be taken based on the outcome of the enquiry, he said. On the probability of the successful reattachment of the severed portion of the thumb to its right position following the surgery, he said, “We will be able to know after two-three days.”

G Priyadharshini (20), wife of Ganesan (34), an agricultural coolie from Kattur was admitted for child delivery and she gave birth to a baby girl on May 25. However, since the baby was premature, doctors advised Priyadharshini not to lactate the baby and feed her through a venflon. As the baby was recovering from the complications, the doctors discharged them and asked a nurse to disconnect the venflon and this was when the nurse accidentally chopped off the baby’s thumb. A horrified Priyadharshini raised an alarm and the particular nurse informed the doctors.