Former nurse says infant in her care died during discharge because of a misdiagnosis

A former nurse says an infant in her care died while being discharged from the hospital due to a misdiagnosis. Jeff Keele reports.

A former nurse claims an 11-month-old in her care was misdiagnosed and died while being discharged from the hospital.

“The doctor came in and I’m like, ‘You’re wrong, he’s really sick,” Dana Ryz said.

Ryz, a former nurse with decades of experience, said she takes in kids with complex needs as a medical foster.

Bobby Iqaluq, from Nunavut, came into her life last May. Born premature, he had a tracheostomy to help him breathe.

“He was fierce, and focused, and so strong,” Ryz said.

The little boy spent the first eight months of his young life in Winnipeg’s Children’s Hospital. Eventually, Ryz was able to take him home. But after one of his return hospital stays, Ryz said she noticed something wasn’t right.

“He spiked a very high temperature,” Ryz said, who then brought the infant to the Children’s Hospital emergency department.

Based on his symptoms, Ryz said she was convinced Iqaluq had sepsis, an infection of the blood which can be deadly. She told the doctors and nurses treating Iqaluq her assessment.

“I’m bawling, actually crying, cause I want them to believe me,” Ryz said, recalling the ordeal.

After five and a half hours, Ryz said the child was diagnosed with a simple skin infection, and she was told he was being discharged with antibiotics. But Ryz said at that point, his pulse started dropping and she alerted a nurse, who called in pediatric intensive care doctors.

“And by the time they called the (pediatric intensive care) team down, he coded and they were doing CPR,” she said.

‘Nobody listened’

Iqaluq passed away, and Ryz feels his death was preventable.

“I’ve worked a long time, and I just felt this is what’s going on, but nobody listened,” Ryz said.

In a statement, Shared Health said the case was not deemed a critical incident.

“We can confirm the matter was reviewed by medical experts not directly involved with the case who determined the patient was treated appropriately,” Shared Health said.

Care provided was appropriate: review

A statement from Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara said the review found the care provided to the child was appropriate, given the child’s complex medical circumstances.

Ryz disagrees and said she wants accountability.

CTV News spoke to Iqaluq’s biological mother, and she said she supports Ryz’s efforts.

The health minister also said if the family wants to reach out to their office, they will listen to their concerns and ensure questions are directed to the appropriate people within the health-care system.

Shared Health also said its patient’s relations team is working with the family so they can ask questions and get answers.

Ryz said no autopsy was ever conducted, and she said she wants to know why.

Shared Health said due to privacy reasons, it cannot comment or confirm details such as a patient’s care or medical history.