Patient in Coma After Oxygen Supply Accidentally Cut

A maintenance worker turned the wrong valve and shut off a hospital oxygen line, sending one woman into a coma and leaving dozens of other patients without backup oxygen for up to 15 minutes.

The 55-year-old woman, whose name was withheld at her family’s request, was in critical condition Wednesday at Holmes Regional Medical Center, two days after the shut-off.

“At this point, her prognosis is not good,” said hospital spokeswoman Valerie Davis. “We don’t necessarily anticipate a recovery, but it’s too early to tell.”

None of the other 55 patients whose supplementary oxygen supply was interrupted early Monday suffered ill effects, Davis said.

Davis blamed an unidentified veteran maintenance worker who misread part of a construction project plan. No immediate disciplinary action was taken against him. His boss resigned.

Supplemental oxygen supplies were halted for 10 to 15 minutes early Monday before alarms sounded and nurses distributed portable units, Davis said.

The woman, who was recovering from an orthopedic operation, went into cardiac arrest.

“It might have happened anyway. We just don’t know,” Davis said.

Officials at the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration were investigating, said spokeswoman Colleen David.

Four months ago, doctors at University Community Hospital in Tampa amputated the wrong foot of one patient and another patient died when a technician mistakenly removed him from a ventilator.