Nurse named in inquest into student death at Palmerston North Hospital

A registered nurse who cared for Erica Hume before her death at a Palmerston North Hospital mental health unit can now be named after a suppression order lapsed. The nurse, identified as Jones, managed Hume’s admission to ward 21 on May 6, 2014, and provided care that evening before Hume died the following day, according to reports from RNZ and the NZ Herald.

Coroner’s findings on nursing failures

Coroner Bates ruled that Jones failed to recognize a heightened risk of suicide despite receiving a “detailed and diligent verbal handover” from Hume’s care worker. According to the coroner, Jones did not adequately review admission information in the clinical file or record that data on admission documentation.

These omissions meant Hume’s risk level went either unrecognized or was not appreciated by staff on the ward, which subsequently affected the level of observation Hume received. The coroner found that the following shift was not fully appraised of the situation. In Hume’s file, Jones wrote, “Admission paperwork to complete. Due to ward activity, unable to do,” stating she believed she did the best she could given the time available, RNZ reported.

Systemic failings at Ward 21

The coroner stated that Jones did not bear sole responsibility for the death and did not single out any one individual for criticism. The findings placed Jones’ actions within a context of “widespread systemic failings and resourcing shortfalls” at ward 21, which included prolonged staff shortages, according to the NZ Herald.

Jones has been a registered nurse for nearly 20 years and remains employed at Palmerston North Hospital.

Legal battle over name suppression

Jones had been granted temporary suppression to consider an appeal against the coroner’s decision to deny her application for permanent non-disclosure. She cited personal privacy and the interests of justice in her argument, though the specifics of that argument remain suppressed. The High Court and Coroner’s Court confirmed that no application for appeal was received by the July 31 deadline.

Carey and Owen Hume, the parents of the deceased, told RNZ they were pleased the order lapsed. They described the hospital system as being “embedded with non-disclosure” and characterized the environment as having a “deep-seated expectation of non-accountability.”

The Humes argued that the common practice of granting healthcare workers name suppression to protect therapeutic relationships with patients is a “poor excuse.” They stated that accountability for both individuals and management is necessary to ensure the circumstances that led to their daughter’s death are not repeated.