Chief physician dismissed for forcing nurses to write ‘I am an idiot’
* Photo: saglikpersonelihaber.net
Click to read the article in Turkish
Dr. Ayşegül Alkan, the Chief Physician of Kumluca Public Hospital in Turkey's Mediterranean province of Antalya, has been removed from office. It was previously reported that the physician forced two nurses to write down "I am an idiot, I left my post" 500 times for leaving their places of duty.
The incident happened on December 13. Two nurses working in the night shift at the hospital went downstairs upon hearing that a patient had fallen. After she could not find the nurses in their places, she wanted them to write down "I am an idiot, I left my post" on an A4 paper for 500 times. The nurses then submitted the papers to the record office of the hospital.
Health directorate probed the incident
After the incident sparked reactions, the Antalya Provincial Directorate of Health has announced that the chief physician has been dismissed.
The directorate has stated, "As a result of the inquiry and investigation into the incident that took place in Kumluca Public Hospital in Antalya and was reported in the entire press, Kumluca Public Hospital Chief Physician Specialist Dr. Ayşegül Alkan has been removed from the chief physician's office and returned to her principal duty."
Minister: It is unacceptable
Health Minister Fahrettin Koca has also made a statement about the issue on Twitter. Defining the incident as "unacceptable", he has said:
"Antalya Kumluca Public Hospital Chief Physician has been removed from office. While a disciplinary investigation has been launched against her, she has also been dismissed with her contract terminated.
"It is not possible for us to accept such an incident."
Antalya Kumluca Devlet Hastanesi Başhekimi görevinden uzaklaştırıldı. Hakkında disiplin soruşturması başlatılan Başhekimin sözleşmesi feshedilerek görevine son verilmiştir. Böyle bir davranışı kabul etmemiz mümkün değildir. pic.twitter.com/Q28Jfwq3q3
— Dr. Fahrettin Koca (@drfahrettinkoca) December 17, 2020
What happened?
As reported by saglikpersonelihaber.net (health personnel news) website, a group officials from the Health Directorate went to the hospital in Kumluca district of Antalya province hit by heavy rainfall a few days ago.
Chief Physician Ayşegül Alkan could not see the nurse on duty in her post when she went there with the officials. They were told that the nurse went downstairs upon hearing that a patient had fallen.
In response to this, Chief Physician Alkan punished the nurse by forcing her to write down "I am an idiot, I left my post" on an A4 paper for 500 times. (EMK/SD)