Miss-Delectable
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Baby left deaf, disabled by botched home birth | Herald Sun
A MELBOURNE midwife could be deregistered over a home birth that left a baby deaf and permanently disabled.
Midwife Kusum Churcher-Wells is alleged to have failed to check the baby, known as JK, for jaundice during a home delivery in metropolitan Melbourne in April, 2005.
The baby's father complained to the Nurses Board of Victoria (NBV), alleging the baby was rendered profoundly deaf and permanently disabled with brain damage as a result.
A formal hearing was conducted at the NBV in Melbourne this morning.
Ms Churcher-Wells faces one breach of failing to adequately assess and further treat JK's jaundice and another of failing to refer JK to a medical practitioner to assess and treat the jaundice.
She has admitted to both breaches.
The penalty for the breaches ranges from a loss of registration to having conditions imposed on her practise.
Ms Churcher-Wells, who works as an independent midwife, qualified as a midwife in Australia in 1993.
She has also been involved as an Australian volunteer for non-profit international medical humanitarian organisation Medecins Sans Frontieres.
The board will deliver its ruling in 28 days.
A MELBOURNE midwife could be deregistered over a home birth that left a baby deaf and permanently disabled.
Midwife Kusum Churcher-Wells is alleged to have failed to check the baby, known as JK, for jaundice during a home delivery in metropolitan Melbourne in April, 2005.
The baby's father complained to the Nurses Board of Victoria (NBV), alleging the baby was rendered profoundly deaf and permanently disabled with brain damage as a result.
A formal hearing was conducted at the NBV in Melbourne this morning.
Ms Churcher-Wells faces one breach of failing to adequately assess and further treat JK's jaundice and another of failing to refer JK to a medical practitioner to assess and treat the jaundice.
She has admitted to both breaches.
The penalty for the breaches ranges from a loss of registration to having conditions imposed on her practise.
Ms Churcher-Wells, who works as an independent midwife, qualified as a midwife in Australia in 1993.
She has also been involved as an Australian volunteer for non-profit international medical humanitarian organisation Medecins Sans Frontieres.
The board will deliver its ruling in 28 days.