In October last year, a nursing error occurred at the hospice-type paid nursing home “Ishinkan Ebina” in Ebina City, Kanagawa Prefecture, where a male resident (then 74 years old) was left for approximately 11 hours without his respiratory mask being connected to the oxygen supply tube. The man passed away two days later. The nursing home denied any causal relationship with the death, stating “there were no doctor’s findings indicating deterioration of respiratory condition (after the error),” but admitted to the connection mistake and apologized to the bereaved family.
The bereaved family plans to soon submit a complaint to the prefectural police on suspicion of professional negligence resulting in death, citing failures such as neglecting proper attachment procedures and double-checks. As reasons for denying causality, the nursing home points out that the man’s pre-existing condition had been worsening before the error was discovered, and that he was able to consume food during the period between the nursing error and his death.
According to the bereaved family and the nursing home, the man was hospitalized at a university hospital in May last year due to worsening of his pre-existing idiopathic interstitial pneumonia. He entered the nursing home, which advertises 24-hour nursing care, in July following his discharge.
