An investigation into a complaint lodged by the family of an elderly patient against inappropriate behaviour on behalf of nursing staff, which they claimed placed the woman’s life in danger, was opened on Wednesday by state health services organisation (Okypy).

The woman had reportedly been admitted to a state hospital after the private clinic treating her could not provide the services she needed.

The family said a specialised nurse had visited the patient and found her sound in mind and with no bruising on her limbs, however during the night following her admission to the state hospital the relatives were notified that her condition had “severely deteriorated”.

According to the complaint filed with Okypy and forwarded to the patient rights observatory of the Cyprus Federation of Patients’ Associations, the supervising nurse called the family during the night, demanding that they be present or take her home to care for her themselves.

Upon arrival at the hospital, the relatives found the woman delirious and screaming, while the staff “looked on” with the excuse that they were “tired of taking care of her all night”.

The family also found “extensive bruising” on the woman’s knee, which they said happened in hospital.

According to the complaint, the nurse made a gesture “questioning the patient’s mental integrity and trying to blame us”, before asking the relatives to leave.

The relatives then reacted, prompting doctors to admit physical injuries and internal bleeding, and to provide the option of compression to stop the bleeding or immediate surgery to repair the vessel, with the latter being a “last resort” measure due to her weak heart.

The family chose the first option, however a few hours later they were told that the bleeding had not stopped and the woman had been taken to theatre. The operation lasted two-and-a-half hours.

According to Philenews, “a nurse from the same team that had earlier mocked her condition and diagnosed that the problem was psychological, approached a member of the family and in a defiantly ‘polite’ manner told them ‘Don’t get our hopes up, your mother will not come out of surgery alive’.”

The woman did make it through vascular repair surgery and is now recovering in intensive care.

The family reported the incident to Phileleftheros, saying that “the staff not only failed to act in time, placing the patient’s life in danger, but acted with a complete lack of empathy.”

The elderly woman, the relatives said, only received proper attention and treatment after her care was taken over by the cardiology intensive care unit.

Following a proper update from the doctors, the family filed a complaint with Okypy, which apologised to the patient and the family, and launched an immediate investigation.

Pending the results of the investigation, the nurse was removed from the ward and placed at a post with limited access to patients.

Okypy assured it was investing in life-long training of human resources and implementing strict protocols, to provide safe and quality treatment to patients.