Infant Death Due to Drug Overdose... Three Nurses Sentenced to Prison

COVID-19 Treatment Involves Drug Injection at 50 Times Standard Dose
Administration Accident Concealed Without Reporting to Doctor
Court Considers Medical Staff's Heavy Workload at the Time

Nurses at a university hospital who administered medication differently from the attending physician's prescription to a 13-month-old infant hospitalized for COVID-19 treatment, resulting in the infant's death, were sentenced to prison terms.

According to a Yonhap News report on the 11th, the Jeju District Court Criminal Division 2 (Chief Judge Jin Jae-kyung) sentenced Jeon Mo and Kang Mo, nurses at Jeju National University Hospital who were detained and prosecuted on charges of professional negligence and abandonment resulting in death, to 1 year and 2 months and 1 year and 6 months in prison, respectively. Another nurse, Yang Mo, who was also tried on the same charges, was sentenced to 1 year in prison.

Earlier, on March 11 of last year, an accident occurred in which a 13-month-old infant hospitalized for COVID-19 treatment died the day after receiving treatment. At that time, the infant showed symptoms of respiratory distress, and the attending physician prescribed administering 5 mg of a drug called epinephrine diluted and delivered via a nebulizer (a mist inhaler). Epinephrine is a medication used to dilate the bronchi and increase heart rate when cardiac function stops, such as in cardiac arrest.

Jeju District Court Photo by Yonhap News

However, nurse Jeon administered the 5 mg of the drug intravenously, contrary to the physician's prescription. When administered by injection rather than dilution, the appropriate dose for an infant is 0.1 mg, meaning the infant was injected with 50 times the standard dose. Furthermore, Kang, a senior nurse on the same team as Jeon, recognized the error during the process of transferring the deteriorating infant to the intensive care unit but did not report it to the attending physician or others.

Head nurse Yang also knew about the medical accident but did not report it to the attending physician or others. Instead, she reportedly instructed Jeon and Kang not to prepare accident reports to conceal the incident. Kang, along with Jeon and Yang, conspired to delete records related to the drug prescription and treatment process multiple times. It was confirmed that they only reported the incorrect drug administration to their superiors after the infant's funeral was completed.

The court found that the defendants' charges of negligence and abandonment resulting in death were valid, but acquitted Yang of professional negligence resulting in death.

The court stated, "The direct cause of the victim's death was the initial error in drug administration. While failing to report to the attending physician and others constitutes professional negligence, it is not the direct cause of death," adding, "Therefore, Yang is acquitted of the charge of professional negligence resulting in death." However, the court pointed out, "The attempt to conceal the accident severely undermines the deep trust our society places in doctors and nurses."

Regarding the sentencing rationale, the court explained, "However, considering the medical staff were overwhelmed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the defendants have shown remorse, have no prior criminal records, and have each deposited 50 million won with the court for the bereaved families."

Earlier, at the sentencing hearing held on the 27th of last month, the prosecution requested prison terms of 4 years each for Jeon and Kang, and 5 years for head nurse Yang.

Upon the announcement of the sentence, the bereaved family members in the courtroom wept, shouting, "What will happen to our child?" and "Who told you to give money?"

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.