My Baby Died from Hospital Infection

April 22nd, 2011. By janem

Often I am asked if I have children and I almost always answer ‘No’. But that’s not true: I had a son and his name was Jarret.

Easter isn’t my favorite time of year. Instead, it is the saddest time for me because seventeen years ago this week, my son passed away from a hospital infection. Jarret was only three weeks old when he died so I didn’t even get to know him.

This is the first time I’ve been able to write about him—it has taken this many years to heal. Of course I will never get over his death, but each year does get easier. And his death was the main reason my husband and I fell apart. My husband wanted to sue the hospital for medical malpractice whereas I just wanted the pain to go away.

I don’t remember exactly what happened surrounding his death because it was like I was down a deep, dark hole and couldn’t get out, or maybe I didn’t want to get out. I remember my family doctor coming over to our house and crying with me; he even suggested that we file a malpractice suit against the hospital. In retrospect, maybe this was the right thing to do; maybe it would have decreased the risk of further hospital infections. I can’t help but think if we did file a lawsuit, would stricter hygiene practices have been put into place sooner? Could we have helped prevent another baby from contracting an infection?

Jarret was a pre-term baby so he was more susceptible to developing an infection. But the doctors assured me that he was doing well and I would be able to take him home soon. He never left the hospital. At three weeks, he developed a staphylococcus infection, which is an antibiotic-resistant bacteria that is very difficult to treat.

Knowing that most hospital infections are preventable, my husband was furious. And now, all these years later, I am finally able to think rationally and I’m angry too. What if Jarret’s infection was caused by a doctor or nurse who didn’t wash their hands?

The number of healthcare-associated infections and deaths in the US is staggering: a study published in the March-April 2007 journal, Public Health Reports, said the CDC estimates that there are 4.5 hospital infections for every 100 patient admissions and nearly 100,000 deaths from hospital infection. One study in the UK found high levels of the MRSA bacteria on ward doors, in corridors and on patient’s toilets and telephones. A hospital administrator said, “About 30 percent of the population are carriers of MRSA. Controlling infection is a huge priority for us.”

I have finally been able to talk about my son without falling apart. Now I’m going to write a letter to the hospital where my son died. I hope every hospital considers infections like MRSA their top priority.

Tags: Hospital Infection, medical malpractice

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