In support of Florentina (and count me in, too)

(Photo: Antena .ro) Florentina Carstea's arrest on charges of suspected manslaughter and grievous bodily harm, has given way to mass media coverage (most of it unfavourable) in Roumania. Here is a supporting interview, however, from Antenna 1 given by Cristina, a mother whose premature baby was treated by her at a private clinic. Cristina is very saddened (and indignant) that Florentina has been used as a scapegoat in this tragedy and thanks her from the bottom of her heart for all the care she gave her baby. She states that Florentina Carstea is an exceptional person and certainly not a criminal. We see photos of Florentina caring for the tiny baby. But the media are out to get her and so, it would seem, is everyone else with any thwack.

However, a moving letter of support has been written by four neonatal specialists, colleagues of Florentina, who say that she cared for 17-18 premature babies, many on ventilation, on every single shift and that she did much more for the children who passed through her hands than is mentioned in her job description. They ask that she be judged fairly and independently of media pressure.

They write of her care, conscientiousness and dedication, her good clinical sense which helped doctors put babies back on track at critical moments, of which there are many on an ITU. Before the tragedy, they underline, Florentina's professionalism was flawless.

They explain that there is no "culture" in the Roumanian medical system and because of "gaps" (by which I interpret that they mean financial help, dire staffing shortages, absence of medical equipment and material), many things must be improvised - drainage systems (medical), parts of machinery and equipment, etc... Perhaps, they add, this is also because doctors, nurses and managers do not have enough excahnges with countries where procedures do actually work correctly.

They express that nothing can excuse or mitigate the tragedy and that Florentina was responsible for the babies for every one of the 720 minutes of her shift. But the system is prosecuting her for 12 minutes of that shift whilst others get away unprosecuted.

They say they are profoundly sorry for the parents' loss but also for this nurse who cared for hundreds of children with exemplary dedication. They hope that she will receive a fair trial in a "proper court" without journalists present, that she will not be charged and will not be the target of anger and hatred. They end with this: "We hope that after this trial, no-one will be afraid to go to work "alone on shift" in Roumanian hospitals."

Here is an article just received from Floreena printed in Adevarul. Florentina's neighbours have only good things to say about her - and we learn something more, something human which makes her a person, not just "that nurse at Giulesti": Florentina is married with a 12 year old son and has worked at Giulesti for twelve years.

Gheorghe Georgescu, founder of the Medical Assistants Order (for want of a better word and can't think of one right now) said that though he agreed the arrest was a correct measure, Florentina Carstea is not the only guilty party and furthermore, he considers her to be a victim of a defective system.

I am so glad to see that there is some kind of mobilisation for Florentina Carstea. While we all know she bears a responsibility in the terrible happenings at Giulesti, we also know that the problems were so wide-spread in a terminally ill system that she was a victim, too. We know that she should have had staff to help her. We know that the hospital was grossly unfunded and grossly understaffed. Had there been the personnel necessary, Florentina would have been able to take time to go to the toilet leaving someone else there in her place and her colleague would not have needed to ask for cover whilst she went to help with a birth on another ward... Had the hospital been adequately inspected, smoke alarms and fire sensors would have been everywhere, not to mention fire extinguishers - somehitng that is inexcusable. These failings are NOT Florentina's fault. They rest at the feet of the Minister of Health, the mayor Oprescu, the hospital director Marinescu and the medical Director Mirela Ranga. As far as I can see, not ONE of these guilty, incompetent people have spoken out in support and sympathy for Florentina. Of course not, for while she is shouldering the blame, they get off scot-free. We know that Marinescu is a chum of Oprescu's and we also know that Oprescu will not let his friends be prosecuted. Mirela, as a friend of Marinescu (or business partner, shall we say), will not go down either. Savu, the idiot in charge of hospitals under the townhall's jurisdiction has also got away with murder. They all have.

While Florentina was wrong to have vanished for 12 minutes out of her 720 minute shift, she is only human and needed the bathroom. What kind of job forbids that? What kind of job makes a nurse responsible for all these babies alone without backup? What kind of a hospital has no security measures. This is a pantomime. A farce where Florentina is Judy battered by Punch because she has no high connections and isn't busom pals with anyone important enough. It is a travesty of justice and all those concerned should be ashamed of themselves for putting a dedicated, caring person through such pain and suffering. She accepts her part in guilt - now, Marinescu, Savu, Ranga and Cseke (and you, too, Oprescu), accept yours and face the music just as Florentina is having to.

I wish there was something we could do to help her defense. She seems to be thoroughly misguided, for she said she accepted her part of the guilt WITHOUT a lawyer present - and then for Parvu to officially state the same thing later on is unheard of. What happened to "innocent before proven guilty"? It really is a massive blunder on the part of Parvu. Florentina's lawyer seems as good as a hole in the head (where did she come from?). To tell the press her client is remorseful and acknowledges guilt is completely outrageous. Don't any of my readers out there know lawyers better than that who can support her adequately? Petitions? Protests? Let's storm Cotroceni. I will jump on a plane and join you with great joy. Mothers whose babies were treated tenderly and professionally by Florentina are speaking out. Neighbours and colleagues too (though where are the 8 who also had swipe card keys but were not there to help?). Not enough, I fear. What else can we do?

Meanwhile, in politics where the whole health care system has been allowed to unravel to the point of what happened at Giulesti, nothing has been learned by this terrible tragedy. Nothing at all. In the press this morning, Cseke Attila's demand for the unblocking of medical personnel posts - a freeze that began in January 2009 - has been refused by PM Boc. A medical assistant in Blaj states that two caretakers have been hired, but no medical assistants, while the medical assistant currently working the ward is doing the job of 3-4 people... Hasn't the tragedy at Giulesti moved PM Boc one iota? Hasn't the problem of understaffing and chronic danger to patients been underlined enough? I'm speechless... the situation stays exactly the same. Nothing has changed. No-one up there on Roumanian Mount Olympus gives a damn. I guess it's more important to pay deputies, shell out for useless road signs and make friends with the Republic of Moldova than to make sure hospitals are safe places to be, that patients are properly cared for, that babies don't burn to death and nurses don't end up standing trial for manslaughter... Despicable. Shame, shame, shame.

Comments

[anna]

I'm wondering if this isn't a case to be brought to the attention of Amnesty International? A woman being held under arrest completely unjustly for the errors of her superiors, who haven't been charged with anything at all? Sounds to me like she's been framed - the scapegoat, absolutely. Florentina Carstea is guilty of one thing only - panic. A human reaction when you see smoke pouring out of the room where you left 11 new-borns. Gone for 12 minutes of a long shift, okay - her mistake for needing to spend a penny (but the mistake of the system for having noone to cover her when she left)... not managing the evacuation properly - nobody's perfect... But to blame her for the fish you said that rots from the head (great allegory) is almost as criminal as the whole tragedy. may those responsible in management and the ministry be charged - and the sooner the better so Florentina can get on with her life - probably deeply scarred. It will follow her for the rest of her days...that is sentence and punishment enough. She is victim of the system, a product of other peoples mistakes.

[Nicole]

"Daca arestezi pe cineva pentru ca minte atunci de ce politicienii sunt liberi? Ei sunt mai egali decit ceilalti in fata legii? Practicati intimidare si terorism de stat sau inchizitie? Cu siguranta ca justitie nu faceti!"

If you arrest someone because she lies then, why are our politicians free? Are they more equal in front of the law? Are you practicing intimidation and state terrorism or inquisition? Certainly you are not instituting justice.
How true. I'm certain the investigator put pressure on Dlorentina to get from her an admission of guilt. Nowehere in the west such a travesty of jsutice woudl have happened. The union lawyer would have been present form the beginning and be on the side of the employee not like in this case when that idiot lawyer, Parvu, stated to the press that her client acknowledges that she was wrong and is remorseful. So unprofessional.. it makes me cringe.