Hospital stands down five medical professionals over ‘embarrassing’ social media blunder

FIVE people have been suspended after they downed their medical tools in the middle of an operation to snap an “embarrassing” picture.

A WHOLE team of medical staff have been suspended after they were caught taking photos in the middle of a surgical procedure on an unconscious patient.

The incident, which occurred at Argentina’s San Jose de Capilla del Señor Hospital in Buenos Aires recently, was discovered after the incriminating photos were shared on surgeon Lorena Olguín’s Instagram profile not long after the operation was finished, although they were later deleted.

Dr Olguín, who shared the snaps on her Instagram account, has apologised for her actions. Picture: CEN/australscope

They show a team of five, including Dr Olguín, along with an unnamed anaesthesiologist, two surgical assistants and a surgical nurse, posing for the camera while sporting masks and surgical gowns while hovering over a patient.

Blood and various medical equipment can clearly be seen, although the patient’s identity is obscured, and it is clear the pictures were taken in the middle of the operation.

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According to Argentina’s La Nación newspaper, Dr Olguín, who worked in the hospital’s gastroenterology unit, has apologised for her role — although she insisted she did not take the pictures.

“I have been really affected by all of this, I would like to publicly apologise to the people of Capilla for having visually offended them with these images. It was not the intention of any of us that all this should happen,” she told local media.

“That day there were several surgeries, random photos were taken, there was talk of selfies, at no time did I pick up my mobile phone.

“I was operating, they said ‘photo’, I looked at the camera instinctively, later I liked the images, I uploaded them and now all this has happened. There is no way to justify it.”

The hospital confirmed all involved had been suspended while authorities investigate.

Ricardo Algranati, health secretary for the Exaltacion de la Cruz area where the hospital is located, said the scandal was “embarrassing”.

All five pictured in this selfie are being investigated. Picture: CEN/australscope

“They’re all under indictment. The director of the hospital immediately opened an administrative investigation into their actions,” he said.

“The legal department will determine the degree of responsibility of each of those who intervened and the sanction that is to be applied.

“It’s all rather unseemly — an embarrassing situation.”

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