Nurse who allegedly hurt her back helping 126 kilogram patient is suing government for $700,000

A nurse who claims she was seriously injured while rendering aid to an obese mental health patient is suing the government for $700,000.

Gold Coast nurse Katherine Brown has alleged that the Queensland Government was negligent of staff in its handling of a patient who weighed 126kg.

The 44-year-old female patient was admitted to Robina Hospital in June 2015 under an ‘involuntary treatment order’, The Courier-Mail reported.

Ms Brown’s lawyers submitted a statement of claim to the Southport District Court which outlines the patient’s admission in 2015 and subsequent transfer to the unit’s rehabilitation section. 

Ms Brown alleged that is ‘was not safe’ for the female patient to be in the rehabilitation unit and instead should have been in ‘acute or intensive psychiatric care’.

She alleged she was exposed to ‘foreseeable and unnecessary risk’ as a result of the patient transfer.

Ms Brown alleged she injured her back when coming to the aid of the patient in April 2016 who she said she found on the floor of her room in the middle of a seizure. 

After managing to turn the woman over into the recovery position Ms Brown alleges she began to feel an acute pain in her lower back.

Ms Brown alleged that she suffered an ‘annular disc tear’ and psychiatric injuries from the incident. 

The foundation of Ms Brown’s claim to the court is that the state government didn’t provide her with a safe place to work and her complaints prior to the alleged incident were ignored.

The patient continued to suffer from serious seizures and passed away in hospital just one month after the alleged incident. 

In April of 2016 Ms Brown alleges she injured her back when coming to the aid of the patient who she said she found on the floor of her room in the middle of a seizure at Robina Hospital (pictured)