A nursing student at Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH) reportedly attempted suicide following a row with a senior nurse, hospital sources said on Saturday.
Sapna Bibi*, a second-year student at BBH Nursing School, was admitted to the hospital’s emergency ward on Thursday night after she injected herself with a medicine following a row with her senior, according to the source, who requested anonymity.
The source said the nurse was taken to the emergency ward in critical condition and was put on a ventilator.
He added that he could not share the name of the senior nurse, but was convinced that Bibi had attempted suicide.
The doctors who attended to the nurse informed The Express Tribune that the patient was brought to the emergency ward unconscious and at present is stable but not out of danger.
On Friday night, she started breathing by herself and the ventilators were removed. The doctor was hopeful that she would recover in two to three days.
When contacted, BBH Medical Superintendent (MS) Dr Asif Qadir Mir could not confirm or deny whether it was an attempted suicide, as the relevant test results are pending. The MS said the medical legal report was noted by the casualty medical officer and samples of blood and stomach contents were sent for chemical examination.
“To prove a suicide attempt, it is necessary to arrange these tests and the matter has been reported to the area police,” Dr Mir said. Precautions had been taken to avoid any untoward situation in case the patient did not survive, the head of the hospital said.
Asked about the reported row between Bibi and a senior nurse, the MS said he was informed by his deputy medical superintendent (DMS) on Thursday night that the student fainted while performing her duties in the surgical ward, after which she informed her colleagues that she was feeling unwell. When asked if any action would be taken against the senior nurse if the incident was confirmed, the MS said student nurses were administratively controlled by the principal of the nursing school.
The Express Tribune made multiple attempts to contact the head of the nursing school, but she was not available for comment.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 12th, 2012.
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A sad incident which must be investigated whether the senior is involved and if proved may be given exemplry punishment to the accused so that the authoritarian attitude may be discouraged at all levels.