Coronial
TAShospital

Coroner's Finding: Clark, Dennis

Deceased

Dennis Ronald Clark

Demographics

83y, male

Date of death

2023-08-14

Finding date

2025-11-28

Cause of death

Sepsis due to staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia following infection of a left antecubital fossa intravenous access site puncture wound

AI-generated summary

An 83-year-old man with heart and kidney failure died from sepsis caused by MSSA bacteraemia following infection at a peripheral intravenous catheter (PIVC) insertion site. Ambulance paramedics inserted the PIVC 56 hours before hospital admission, but hospital staff failed to remove it within the required 24-hour protocol window. The site became infected with purulent discharge noted on day 5. Clinical lessons include: strict adherence to PIVC removal protocols is essential to prevent catheter-related infections; field-inserted lines require clear identification and monitoring handover; and responsibility assignments must be explicit to prevent oversight. The coroner found this preventable death occurred due to lack of identifying markers on the emergency line, absence of documented monitoring, and unclear protocol responsibility allocation.

AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes. Report an inaccuracy.

Specialties

emergency medicinesurgeryinfectious diseasesintensive care

Error types

proceduralsystemcommunication

Clinical conditions

sepsisMSSA bacteraemiaperipheral intravenous catheter site infectionheart failurekidney failure

Procedures

peripheral intravenous catheter insertionleft inguinal hernia repair

Contributing factors

  • Failure to remove ambulance-inserted PIVC within 24-hour protocol timeframe
  • Lack of identifying sticker or marker on ambulance-inserted PIVC
  • Lack of clear protocol responsibility assignment for PIVC monitoring and removal
  • Absence of documented monitoring or review of PIVC site
  • Field insertion of PIVC with associated higher contamination risk
  • Pre-existing heart failure and kidney failure worsening infection severity

Coroner's recommendations

  1. Both Ambulance Tasmania and Tasmanian Health Service to maintain procedures for reviewing efficacy of implemented measures at appropriate time intervals
Full text

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