Photo: ODT FilesAn elderly woman was given ten times the prescribed saline solution in the hours before her death in Oamaru Hospital. Waitaki District Health Services have been told to apologise to the family of the 93-year-old by the Health and Disability Commissioner. The duty doctor ‘‘B’’ prescribed the 93-year-old a bolus of 100ml of 3% saline at a rate of 200ml per hour with a further check scheduled at 9pm. The situation appears to have been caused by a registered nurse picking up a 1000ml bag of saline solution instead of a 100ml bag. Shortly before the morning handover, Doctor C noticed the woman’s sodium levels had risen rapidly, so he ordered her fluids stopped.
