A HEARTBROKEN mum has relived the final hours of her young son's life after he was given a fatal injection by a hospital nurse.

Keira McGeough, 26, wiped tears from her eyes as she told of the moment when a doctor at Alder Hey Children's Hospital, Liverpool, admitted to her that the muscle relaxing drug had been administered by mistake.

The inquest heard how the hospital had since conducted a "very intensive review" to prevent another tragedy similar to the death of 18-month-old Jake, on July 8, 2001. The hearing was told that nurse Rose Aru, after consulting with nurse Lynne Maguire, had tried to administer a drug to relax him. But instead of a sedative Jake was given the muscle relaxant.

A jury at Liverpool coroner's court heard how Jake, of Leicester Road, Whitebirk, Blackburn, was revived by medical staff but later died.

The inquest was told that neither nurse had the authority to administer the drug. Coroner Andre Rebello, sitting with a jury of seven women and four men, described the death as "every parent's worst nightmare."

Jake's mother told how she knew something was wrong almost immediately after the injection was given to Jake, the youngest of her four children. She told the inquest: "Almost immediately he was given the injection I saw Jake's mouth drop open and his eyelids half close and his chest stopped moving. I began to panic. I could not get the words out to tell them that Jake had stopped breathing."

Keira said she later spoke to Dr Jane Ratcliffe, consultant paediatrician, in the intensive care unit. She said: "I told Dr Ratcliffe that I believed the injection had resulted in Jake stopping breathing and she agreed. She told me the injection was not suitable for him and was only suitable for a patient on a ventilator."

Keira added: "At about 12.05am, I left Jake to get some sleep but at 1.40am a nurse woke me and told me Jake had gone into cardiac arrest."

Dr Ratcliffe told the hearing that it was a "human error" to give a drug that caused the immediate paralysis of Jake without a means of supporting his breathing.

The hearing heard how Keira had initially called her GP to visit Jake at their home on July 5, 2001, because she was concerned he had a chest infection. The youngster was taken to Queen's Park Hospital, Blackburn, where it was discovered the right side of his heart was enlarged and he was transferred to Alder Hey. Doctors believed that Jake may have been suffering from a metabolic disorder and ordered a scan of his lungs but the inquest heard that as he was being taken down for the scan he became "unsettled and agitated."

After the drug was given, Jake was resuscitated but doctors feared he had suffered brain damage and he later died.

A post mortem examination revealed a rise in blood pressure had resulted in a cardiorespiratory arrest. The inquest heard that since 2001 the policy for transporting patients at the hospital has been more precisely documented and there was now a specific plan for each patient.

The incident also triggered "a very intensive review" of the work within the trust. Two members of staff were suspended, pending a criminal investigation into the death. Police decided not to proceed with criminal charges but the hospital yesterday confirmed that disciplinary action had been taken against the staff involved.

(Proceeding)