Newborn dies after hospital ignores woman in labor

The Nevada State Board of Nursing has started an investigation of Las Vegas-based University Medical Center after staff allegedly ignored a pregnant woman during six hours of labor.

According to news accounts, 25-year-old Roshunda Abney came to the emergency department of UMC complaining of severe pain, but was unable to see a clinical staff member.

Other patients present at the time told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that they, too, had intervened with a nursing assistant and asked them to help Abney. The nursing assistant told them not to interfere or they wouldn't be allowed to see a doctor themselves, the other patients told the paper.

Eventually, Abney went home and began to give birth to a baby girl; paramedics were called and assisted in the breech birth. The 1-pound, 6-ounce baby died.

To learn more about this issue:
-read this Las Vegas Review-Journal piece

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