A former nurse is taking legal action against a hospital after witnessing an incident three years ago.
The legal case has been filed against Sunshine Hospital in St Albans, Melbourne, Australia. Marilyn Espinola, the former nurse, recounts a March 2, 2020, event when flames erupted on an elderly patient’s face during a surgical procedure involving a bilateral temporal arterial biopsy.
Espinola narrates that the surgeon alerted the team by yelling “fire!” as the patient’s face became inflamed. She endeavored to put out the fire while the rest of the medical staff reacted to the crisis.
The situation was further complicated by the hospital’s emergency button failing to work, impeding Espinola’s attempt to summon immediate help. The patient, who suffered severe burns, and a black,charred face, was later transferred to a different hospital for multiple surgeries on her face, neck, jaw and hand.
Espinola incurred an ankle injury during the incident. She alleges the hospital’s negligence in treating her injury and in reporting it to WorkSafe Victoria. In the aftermath, Espinola was diagnosed with PTSD and depression, conditions that sparked panic attacks and obstructed her return to work.
Her legal counsel is demanding compensation for her emotional distress and loss of earnings, arguing the hospital should have acknowledged the possibility of surgical fires and taken proper preventative measures.
Given the ongoing legal proceedings, Sunshine Hospital’s management chose not to comment, referencing confidentiality. Espinola is hoping for an exhaustive investigation to enforce hospital accountability and help prevent future incidents of this nature.
