MANILA, Philippines – The video showing a Filipina nurse who accidentally switched off the ventilator of her tetraplegic patient in the United Kingdom is going viral on YouTube.
The United Kingdom Nursing and Midwifery Council suspended nurse Violetta Aylward’s license.
Aylward’s patient, Jamie Merrett, suffered brain damage due to the incident. (Related story: Nurse in 'ventilator accident' a Pinay)
The Philippine Nurses Association (PNA) is concerned over the possible effects the incident and the circulating video may have on Filipino nurses working in the UK.
“This is negative for us. However, like in any other profession, or nationality, there are good practitioners and not so good practitioners,” said PNA President Dr. Teresita Barcelo.
Barcelo was also shocked to learn that Aylward had no training in handling patients with ventilators.
“An RN or registered nurse would know how to handle a patient with a respirator unless she’s been out of practice for awhile,” she said.
The doctor hopes that the incident will not affect the hiring of Filipino nurses to the UK.
“I hope people would think that one not so good example cannot be representative of everybody. Filipino nurses, in general, are competent nurses,” she said.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said it attempted to reach out to Aylward but she allegedly refused to talk to them or the media.
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