Former nurse in COVID ICU who launched accusations didn't see any irregularities while in hospital

The former nurse who made public accusations only worked in the COVID-ICU ward in Sibiu for a month, at the beginning of this year, during which time she did not notice any irregularities in the management of the department or the hospital. In exchange, she allegedly committed certain irregularities herself, for which she was to face disciplinary investigation, the manager of the Sibiu County Emergency Clinical Hospital (SCJU), Florin Neag, told AGERPRES on Friday.

"SCJU Sibiu believes that the source of information published in the media is a nurse who was hired at the SCJU Sibiu at the beginning of 2021, for a period of approximately one month. We mention that she was employed by the former management of the hospital. Our next answers relate to this person, with the mention that there are several ongoing investigations carried out by state institutions, including a criminal investigation at the level of the Prosecutor's Office attached to the Sibiu Court. As soon as this investigations are complete, we will communicate the results and conclusions according to our competence (...) The person in question worked for about a month in the ICU - modular service. There are no complaints recorded made by the person in question to the chief nurse or the chief doctor in the ICU or to any other person from SCJU Sibiu," specified manager Florin Neag.

The nurse who claimed in the local press, under the protection of anonymity, that she would have killed patients with COVID-19 both she and her colleagues from the ICU department of the Emergency County Clinical Hospital in Sibiu, is a medical professional with an experience of 8 years in an ICU department. In Sibiu, she was hired on the basis of an interview, during the period when the manager was the infectious disease doctor, Colonel Constantin Vlase.

"According to the data we have, the nurse in question has medical experience at other hospitals, including 8 years of experience in an ICU department. The employment was done in the form of an interview, for a determined period, according to the legislation in force," the current manager of the Sibiu hospital, Florin Neag, said.

Asked if the former employee of the Sibiu hospital had any misconduct, manager Neag said yes.

"Yes, the person had violations and there is a report formulated in this regard by the assistant coordinator of the COVID-ICU module where the nurse carried out her activity. The alleged violations are non-compliance with the confidentiality of medical data and personal data, by photographing patients, the equipment and the medical documents, as well as an inappropriate attitude towards colleagues and patients. The report triggered a disciplinary investigation of the employee, which did not take place because the working relationship between her and the hospital ended at the initiative of the employee," mentioned the SCJU manager.

Also during the month in which this nurse worked at the hospital, the COVID ICU department was checked daily by an inspector of the Public Health Directorate (DSP). In fact, no irregularities were found by two DSP inspectors who check daily, starting with November 2020, the three ICU wards with COVID patients in the county, DSP Sibiu reported on Friday, at the request of AGERPRES.