Suspicion of Murder in Vienna Clinic Favoriten

"We are at the beginning of the investigations," said Bussek. A situation is present "which is now being examined." The suspect is not in custody, Bussek said. The public prosecutor's office currently rules out an urgent suspicion of a crime.

Murder Suspicion at Vienna's Favoriten Clinic: Overdose Not Confirmed

The nurse is suspected of possibly having killed a cancer patient in mid-September with a medication overdose. The patient - for data protection reasons, the Vienna Health Association (WIGEV) did not disclose her age upon APA request - was hospitalized in the oncology department and was receiving palliative care. She was in the final phase of life and was being treated with common painkillers. During a shift change, the suspect, who had been employed at the Favoriten Clinic for about a year and a half, reportedly said that the patient could be given "more, then it will be over faster," reported "Falter" in its newsletter on Tuesday.

"We cannot confirm an overdose in any way," emphasized a WIGEV spokesperson. However, the suspect's flippant remark was overheard by colleagues of the accused. After the patient passed away, those colleagues who had directly taken over the shift from the accused and a second specialist noticed irregularities in the medication documentation. They reported the incident.

The day before the patient's death, there were uncertainties regarding the amounts of medication administered, confirmed the WIGEV. According to the spokesperson, "medications were administered to the already dying patient that were not prescribed in this dosage." Whether these led to the woman's death is unclear. The WIGEV emphasized that no autopsy results are yet available: "Therefore, it cannot be confirmed whether the administration of medication was in any way causally related to a deterioration in the patient's health condition or her death."

Investigations Against Second Nurse from Vienna's Favoriten Clinic

In addition to the nurse who administered the painkillers to the moribund patient, investigations are also being conducted against the employee who was on duty with her. This woman is an experienced nurse. She is believed to have been at least partly responsible for the inaccurate medication documentation. However, she is not thought to have been involved in any direct criminal actions. The WIGEV emphasizes that it reacted immediately: "Internal investigations were initiated the very next day, an independent physician was commissioned to objectively review the medical facts, and a report was submitted to the Vienna public prosecutor's office to ensure full transparency and comprehensive clarification."

Employees of Vienna's Favoriten Clinic Dismissed

The safety of patients is of the highest priority. Therefore, the two employees were immediately relieved of their duties with patients. After the completion of the internal investigations, the employees were dismissed. They had violated internal regulations with the incorrect medication documentation. Due to the ongoing investigation, no further details can be disclosed, it was stated. There was no confirmation from the WIGEV regarding the "Falter" claim that the death of another patient was being investigated, for which an exhumation was pending. "We are not aware of a second case," said the spokesperson.

(APA/Red)

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