Caregiver Admits "Difficult to Manage Bowel Movements..." After Blocking Patient's Anus with Pad

Admission of Charges in First Trial
"To Make the Case Handling Easier"

A caregiver in her 60s admitted in court to repeatedly inserting pieces of sanitary pads into the anus of a patient with brain lesions, citing the inconvenience of bowel management.

According to Yonhap News and others on the 20th, the defense attorney of 68-year-old caregiver A, who was indicted for violating the Act on Welfare of Persons with Disabilities, made this statement at the first trial held today under the presiding of Judge An Hee-gil of the Incheon District Court Criminal Division 4.

Pieces of bowel movement pads taken from the patient's body.
Photo by Yonhap News

On that day, A, dressed in a yellow-brown prison uniform, calmly answered the court’s questions verifying her date of birth and residence.

The prosecution stated that from April 24 to May 4, A, who was caring for C (64), a Parkinson’s patient admitted to a nursing hospital, repeatedly inserted 1 to 3 pieces of sanitary pads daily into C’s anus because bowel management was troublesome, causing anal lacerations and impairing bowel function, resulting in injury.

She cut the pads used on the bed into square shapes approximately 25 cm by 25 cm to commit the act.

During the investigation, A testified, "C had loose stools, so the diapers had to be changed frequently," and "I inserted pieces of pads into the anus to make bowel management easier."

After A’s actions, C suffered from anal fissures and bowel dysfunction, and his condition worsened, leading to his transfer to a university hospital.

The hospital director B (56), who was also indicted without detention on the same charges due to negligence in management and supervision of A, stated on the day, "Review of the records is necessary," and did not express an opinion on the charges.

However, before the trial, B submitted a written statement denying the charges, claiming "I am not in a position of management or supervision."

The court also mentioned that "the trial may be separated and conducted later" regarding B’s position.

The trial for A and others is scheduled to be held in September.

Regarding this case, the Nursing Hospital Association recommended all nursing hospitals nationwide, saying, "If a caregiver is found to have committed inappropriate acts against an inpatient, please explain the situation in detail to the patient’s guardian and notify the caregiver brokerage agency to request a replacement of the caregiver to prevent recurrence of similar incidents."

Currently, unlike the integrated nursing and caregiving services in acute care hospitals, caregiving for inpatients in nursing hospitals is not covered by health insurance. Therefore, patients or their guardians directly contract with caregivers, and nursing hospitals have no legal authority to guide or supervise caregivers.

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