Queensland woman’s traumatic miscarriage sparks ‘urgent review’ of hospital

“I know deep down I will never recover from this,” Nikkole says of the horrifying experience. Warning: Distressing content

Nikkole Southwell was 12 weeks into her pregnancy when she knew something was wrong. 

Waking to heavy bleeding, the 24-year-old called an ambulance, which took her straight to Ipswich Hospital in Queensland. 

Upon arrival, she was left in the waiting room for hours on end. 

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Nikkole said she "knows" she "will never recover" from the experience. Source: 9News

“I can't close my eyes without witnessing some part of this”

“I got there at nine o’clock in the morning and was seen by the doctor at around five or seven o’clock that night,” she told 9News. 

As nurses attended to Nikkole, she alleged that hospital staff asked to use her husband’s phone flashlight to examine her cervix. 

Suffered a miscarriage, she said the foetus was placed in a transparent biohazard bag and left in front of her for hours.

“I felt like my baby meant nothing while it sat in the top of my handbag in a biohazard bag for all to see,” she told Courier Mail.

She explained that she was left traumatised by the experience and knows “deep down” that she “will never recover from this”. 

“With everything that I went through, I can't close my eyes without witnessing some part of this,” she said to 9News. 

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An "urgent" review of Ipswich Hospital is underway. Source: Courier Mail

‘Urgent’ review is underway

A clinic review has been launched on Ipswich Hospital by West Moreton Health Service. 

“It is taken extremely seriously,” said Hannah Bloch, Chief Executive at West Moreton.

“Compassionate care is something that we strive to achieve, and to hear on this occasion that has not been Ms Southwell's experience is very upsetting for us.” 

“A miscarriage is a very traumatic time for any woman and her family,” she said.

An “urgent” review from the Queensland government and health department has also been launched. 

According to Courier Mail, an internal review will be conducted, led by senior clinicians. Hospital staff involved with the case will be interviewed, and their responses will be compared to clinical guidelines. 

Health Minister Shannon Fentiman said the case was “absolutely heartbreaking, and it’s unacceptable”.

“I have asked Queensland Health to urgently work together with frontline staff to put together practice guidelines and models of care for women who miscarry."

Originally published as Queensland woman’s traumatic miscarriage sparks ‘urgent review’ of hospital