A nurse who scalded an infant while bathing him at Princess Margaret Hospital has been given a warning letter and told she will not be eligible for a pay rise for a year, a penalty that was dismissed as 'ridiculously lenient' by the parents.
The nurse, who graduated in 2008, has been transferred to the hospital's theatre service unit, working under the supervision of a coach, after a short break following the April 9 blunder, in which the baby suffered scalding to 14 per cent of his skin.
The four-month-old's father said: 'It is ridiculously lenient. It is obvious that the authority wanted to protect its people. The nurse has never offered us an apology. I wanted to lodge a complaint against the nurse. But the hospital refused to tell me her name.'
The hospital argued the case had been handled according to the authority's 'human resources policies'.
A hospital spokesman said: 'The hospital has issued a written warning to the nurse and one-year suspension of increment will be imposed. A clinical instructor has also been designated to coach the nurse and assess her performance on a regular basis.'
Legislator Joseph Lee Kok-long, who represents the health services sector, said: 'The authority should explain to the public clearly how and why it has come to such a conclusion as issuing a warning and pay freeze.
'It might be a harsh punishment from the staff member's point of view because it may affect promotion in the future. But obviously the victim's parents, as well as the public, are not satisfied,' said Lee, who is also chairman of the Association of Hong Kong Nursing Staff.
