Wicked World: Elderly Woman Dies of Thirst After Nurse Refused to Give Her Water Because She Bed Wets (See Photo)

Edna Thompson died of thirst

An elderly librarian and widow has died of thirst in yet another unbelievable story after a nurse refused to give her water because of her habit of bed-wetting. 

A pensioner died of thirst in hospital because a nurse allegedly refused to give her a drink of water because they were afraid she’d wet her bed.

Edna Thompson, 85, was admitted to Maidstone hospital with an eye condition, but died from dehydration eight days later after apparently being refused fluids.

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust has now apologised for the incident but her daughter Ann Brown is angry.

‘I am just appalled,’ she said.

‘If they had dealt with this better none of this would have happened and our mother could still be alive.’

The ordeal began when the former librarian was admitted to hospital with suspected malignant glaucoma last September.

Mrs Thompson’s health deteriorated to such an extent that she could no longer eat or drink unassisted.

The widowed mother-of-three from Harrietsham, Kent, suffered severe dehydration and eventual renal failure at hospital.

The weekend before her death, Mrs Thompson’s family raised concerns about her dehydration with an agency nurse.

But they were allegedly told it would be inconvenient if she had too much water – because it would mean staff having to change the bedding more often.

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust chief executive Glenn Douglas admitted a catalogue of errors.

He said an investigation found that Mrs Thompson’s condition was exacerbated by the prescribing of medication known to cause dehydration, including mannitol, used to lower eye pressure.

‘I would like to offer an unreserved apology for the errors,’ he said.

‘Regrettably we cannot alter the sad outcome. However, I can assure you we have recognised the need to ensure this type of event does not occur again.’

A review was under way and new procedures had been introduced to prevent a similar problem.

The trust said the agency nurse complained of was no longer assigned shifts.

Source: Metro