Racist nurse’s actions during childbirth contributed to her son’s brain damage, says Nisga’a woman

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A Nisga’a woman says racist abuse during childbirth by a nurse at a northern British Columbia hospital contributed to her newborn baby’s brain damage.

Kristy White filed a complaint with Northern Health immediately after her experience at the University Hospital of Northern BC in Prince George, in which she alleges that a nurse made racist remarks and refused to give her medication that allegedly caused labor, against the doctor’s orders.

White’s son Wesley suffers from brain bleeding and has developmental delays in his mobility and communication, according to a neurologist report provided to CBC. Wesley, who recently celebrated his first birthday, has been in intense physical and occupational therapy since October 2020 and needs a supportive chair to sit on.

White learned that her son’s condition was likely due to a suction-assisted delivery, which may not have been necessary without the nurse’s actions.

In its response to White, Northern Health acknowledged that a disagreement had arisen between a doctor and nurse and that the team had not functioned effectively. She concluded that the nurse’s actions were not the result of racism, but rather were motivated by concern for White’s safety. and her baby.

White has filed a complaint with the British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal and the British Columbia College of Nurses, and also plans to file a medical malpractice complaint against the hospital.

She said she was speaking out because she didn’t want other parents to go through what she did.

“I was silent for a long time because it was too cool. It hurts,” White said. “I hope this will give other people the opportunity to express themselves.”

Disagreements between nurse, doctor

White and her husband, Warren, are from Greenville, a Nisga’a village also known as Laxgalts’ap, located in the far northwest of British Columbia. the doctor felt that she should give birth in a well-equipped hospital.

Because her baby continued to move in a transverse position laterally in the womb rather than a head-down position, ready for birth, White said the doctor decided to induce delivery with the hormone. oxytocin after the baby has moved to a more favorable position. White’s dose had to be increased every half hour until she was ready to give birth.

Early in the morning of June 18, there was a shift change in nursing. White said she noticed immediately that the new nurse didn’t like her. According to White, the nurse refused to increase the oxytocin dose throughout the day, argued frequently with the doctor, and repeatedly asked him to leave the room.

Wesley needed intensive therapy to improve his development and needs a supportive chair to sit on at the age of one. (Submitted by Kristy White)

White alleges the nurse called her and her husband Indians and made racist remarks about the way they harvest and store food.

She said the nurse blocked her bedroom door to prevent White’s husband from leaving. Eventually the nurse turned her back and White said her husband had run outside to get the doctor.

“The doctor had to stand over the nurse in the delivery room and tell her to increase the drug and she still wouldn’t increase it,” White said.

She said the nurse finally administered the drug and White was then ready to give birth within minutes.

“I have never been so scared in my life”

But after giving birth for more than 24 hours, White had chest pain and was too exhausted to give birth. She requested a cesarean.

“I have never been so scared in my life,” she said.

Doctors decided that due to a number of factors a Caesarean section would be too risky and proceeded with a vacuum assisted delivery.

Wesley White with his great-grandmother. (Submitted by Kristy White)

White gave birth at 3:30 p.m. on June 18.

A few weeks after the birth, she began to notice signs that Wesley was developmentally delayed, she said.

Following an MRI in May 2021, Wesley’s neurologist told White his son had brain bleeding likely from the suction assisted delivery.

The Nisga’a government issued a statement in favor of White.

In a statement provided to CBC, Northern Health said: “A quality of care complaint was investigated when concerns were raised in June 2020, and a response was provided to the complainant. “

Racism in the health care system

British Columbia Indigenous Doula Olivia Louie said she has experienced similar situations in health care. She said many of her clients have experienced racism which has resulted in trauma and sometimes physical injury.

Louie said she also saw a lack of accountability or recognition in the healthcare system.

“The perpetrators of racism should not be the ones who determine whether or not a racist event has occurred,” Louie said.

Lorraine Warren, president of the Native Women’s Association of Canada, said Indigenous-specific racism is a problem across Canada and that situations like White’s can cause Indigenous women and girls to avoid asking for help. medical aid.

The 2020 In Plain Sight report, the result of an independent review by former judge Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond, found that Indigenous women and girls are disproportionately affected by racism in Colombia’s healthcare system. British.

“We know it exists, and now people are starting to speak out,” Warren said. “They are not going to be silent anymore.”

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