Saturday, May 12, 2007

Midwife struck off for yanking woman by umbilical cord

A midwife has been struck off after being found guilty of pulling a woman's umbilical cord so hard that she was dragged down her bed.

A disciplinary hearing of the Nursing and Midwifery Council yesterday found 46-year-old London midwife Cecilia Wanayana Kituma guilty of misconduct.

The disciplinary panel heard that on 21 and 22 January 2004, while working as an agency midwife at Watford General hospital, Ms Kituma pulled at the woman's umbilical cord with excessive force while delivering her placenta.

She was also found guilty of failing to notice that the same woman suffered a severe post-partum haemorrhage after giving birth, losing more than two litres of blood.

The hearing also heard that the Mrs Kituma failed to stay with the woman between the birth of her baby and the complete delivery of her placenta, contrary to her employer's policy and safe practice.

An NMC spokeswoman said: "Mrs Kituma's actions demonstrate a number of serious departures from the standards established for midwives. The panel felt that Mrs Kituma has shown no insight into the serious physical and psychological consequences her failings caused the client and her husband.

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