Hospice worker denies negligence in patient's death

A Danish hospice worker on trial for gross negligence defended her actions, stating the team was under "enormous pressure" during the days leading up to a 78-year-old man's death.

The employee, who worked the day shift approximately two days before the patient died in December 2023, testified in Holbæk Court that she prioritized essential care over detailed record-keeping due to the demanding workload. "When I'm on a pressured shift, my job is to prioritize what is most essential," she explained.

The prosecution accuses the four healthcare workers of neglecting their duties by failing to maintain patient records and adhere to the treatment plan provided by the man's own doctor. The 78-year-old died of natural causes three days after being admitted to the Lynghuset hospice in Odsherred Municipality.

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It was an enormously busy shift where I neither ate nor drank. When I'm on a pressured shift, my job is to prioritize what is most essential.

Specifically, the indictment states the accused worker failed to implement "environmental therapy" intended to help the patient, who was suffering from delirium, an acute state of confusion that can cause agitation and anxiety. However, the defendant asserted that she did, in fact, spend her entire shift in the patient's room, drawing the curtains, applying a cold compress, and adjusting his bedding to provide comfort.

All four defendants have pleaded not guilty. The trial, which began Tuesday, will also hear testimony from the other three accused staff members, as well as the patient's doctor and hospice colleagues. The court expects a verdict by the end of June.

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I spent my entire shift in his room. I drew the curtains, gave him a cold cloth for his head, arranged him with duvets and pillows, and tried to see if he reacted to physical touch.