Tragic mum died just a week after giving birth
Inquest told ‘missed opportunities’ to spot sepsis
AN inquest into the death of a young mother heard claims there were “many missed opportunities” to diagnose that she had contracted a life-threatening infection.
Karen Mcevoy was rushed to Naas General Hospital with suspected sepsis on Christmas Day 2018.
She died a short time later after suffering a cardiac arrest in the hospital’s emergency department.
The 24-year-old had given birth to her third child Ruby seven days earlier at the Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital.
Kildare Coroner’s Court yesterday heard evidence from several witnesses that Ms Mcevoy had complained of pains since December 20, the day after she got home from the maternity ward.
Ms Mcevoy’s partner, Barry Kelly, said she had been seen by a public health nurse, Doreen O’sullivan, on December 21 and went to the Coombe two days later.
She was told she was suffering from sciatica and advised to go to Tallaght Hospital if the pain was continuing after two more days.
However, Mr Kelly recalled she woke on Christmas Day with slurred speech, her whole body swollen and looking pale and he got his mother to call for an ambulance.
He added: “Karen begged me not to touch her she was in so much pain.”
His mother Tina Kelly said: “There were so many missed opportunities to pick up the issue of sepsis.” The inquest
heard Ms Mcevoy suffered a cardiac arrest as emergency staff were trying to fit an intravenous line into her at Naas General Hospital.
Mr Kelly said they had received no awareness information from the Coombe about post-natal sepsis.
In evidence, Ms O’sullivan said Ms Mcevoy had not reported any discomfort during an abdominal examination on December 21, 2018.
The coroner, Prof Denis Cusack, said the nurse’s failure to record whether the patient was suffering any pain in her medical notes was “a strange omission”.
However, Ms O’sullivan said it was a “straightforward” omission which she could not explain.
The nurse said she would have activated a care plan if Ms Mcevoy had expressed any concern about suffering pain but the patient had presented as “tired but well”.
The inquest heard there had been a number of changes to postnatal care as a result of “lessons learned”.
A trainee midwife, Sarah Glennon, who oversaw the discharge of Ms Mcevoy from the Coombe, said the patient had displayed no signs of sepsis.
The inquest heard Ms Mcevoy, of Red Bog, Blessington, Co Wicklow, died from multiple organ failure as a result of sepsis infection.
Pathologist Dr Michael Jeffers said she would have had the infection for “at least 24 to 48 hours”.
The inquest continues today.
She begged me not to touch her she was in such pain BARRY KELLY
KILDARE YESTERDAY