The Good Samaritan Hospital NICU nurse was fired after being caught on video allegedly mistreating a newborn. The nurse was seen slamming a newborn onto a bassinet.
The incident was captured on video by the baby’s father, Fidel Sinclair, who was filming his two-day-old son, Nikko, in the hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
The video shows the nurse forcefully flipping Nikko from his back to his stomach.
Sinclair said he was happy he was there to witness the incident, which was recorded because the curtains were not fully drawn.
“If it wasn’t for God, we would have never seen none of that happen. And that would have kept happening through the night, not only to him, but to the other babies, too,” Sinclair stated.
Nikko’s mother, Consuelo Saravia, said she was heartbroken when she saw the video.
She confronted the nurse, saying, “I don’t want you to touch my child! You just slammed him,” to which the nurse responded, “Oh no, if you think I mishandled him or anything, I’m sorry.”
Catholic Health, which operates the hospital, issued a statement saying that the organization took immediate action in response to the video, including conducting an investigation and terminating the nurse involved.
The organization also reported the individual to the Department of Health for further review.
The New York Department of Health released a statement expressing concern over the disturbing allegations and said it is taking the matter seriously. Suffolk County Police have opened an investigation into the troubling handling of a newborn.
The spokesperson authorized immediate family members to visit their loved ones in the neonatal ICU. Although the exact number of infants and nurses present in the NICU at any given moment remains unclear, Sinclair reported observing many of them.
According to the parents, there were no security cameras in the room. Sinclair considered himself lucky to have witnessed the nurse’s misconduct, as he could see his son through the curtain and record the wrongdoing.
The spokesperson told DailyMail.com that having the curtains in the ICU is ‘standard procedure.’
According to Catholic Health, using curtains in the NICU is standard practice to ensure privacy for patients and their families while bedside services are administered.
Immediate family members are permitted inside the neonatal ICU to spend time with their loved ones.
The incident has caused distress to Nikko’s parents, who say they are grateful to have been there to protect their child. “I couldn’t stop crying. I couldn’t even sleep,” Saravia said. Nikko is reportedly doing okay following the alleged assault.
The hospital organization reported that prompt measures were taken upon becoming aware of the incident. The individual involved was terminated, and an investigation was conducted. They were also reported to the Department of Health for further examination.
The hospital remains committed to ensuring the safety of its patients.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7t7XZmpqaZpOkunCzzqibZquRoq6ztdOapWagn6i9qsDApWSnoZOqeq%2FB0aycZp6Zp7Klec6vnKtlnZ7Aqa3NnaOippdirq95yKedmqakZA%3D%3D