Allison Holthoff’s cause of death and obituary details are listed here, learn the tragic cause of her death as Allison Holthoff succumbed to the effects of an untreated splenic aneurysm.
Allison Holthoff’s cause of death and obituary
Holthoff, a 37-year-old mother of three, died on New Year’s Eve at Cumberland Regional Health Center. Her family claims she died from complications related to an untreated splenic aneurysm, which could have been discovered had she received a CT scan.
According to Henderson’s report on the family’s account of Holthoff’s visit to the emergency room, she was experiencing severe pain in the upper left side of her abdomen, shortness of breath and nausea. She could not support her own weight.
According to the statement of claim, Holthoff was triaged by a nurse who took a blood sample. When a urine sample was requested, her husband Gunter accompanied her to the bathroom to help. She collapsed in the bathroom, and two security guards came to help Gunter lift her back into the wheelchair.
“The condition of the deceased rapidly deteriorated during the first hour of waiting in the hospital waiting room,” the court filing states.
“She was in severe pain and nausea. She was vomiting bile. She was unable to sit up straight in the wheelchair and remained slumped in the fetal position on one side. She was no longer able to effectively verbalize sentences. The deceased’s husband, along with witnesses in the waiting room, continued to report about the emergency of the deceased to the defendant’s medical staff.”
According to the affidavit, Holthoff was in too much pain to remain seated and spent some time curled up in the fetal position on the floor before eventually being placed in a private cabin around 3 p.m. There was no monitoring equipment, and it wasn’t until three hours later, around 6 p.m., that a nurse re-evaluated Holthoff’s vital signs.
A court document shows the patient was “extremely hypotensive and tachycardic,” meaning she had very low blood pressure and a rapid heart rate.
At that point, Holthoff was taken to an observation room where she was examined by Dr. Atia, who ordered an IV and pain medication. Further tests were ordered, but before they could be carried out, “the patient went into cardiac arrest”. She died around 7 p.m., about eight hours after she arrived at the emergency room.
In a defense filed by lawyer Karen N. Bennett-Clayton of Stewart McKelvey, Nova Scotia Health claims that “any injury, loss or damage suffered by the plaintiff [Holthoff’s family] was not caused by negligence on the part of the defendant health authority or anyone for whom the defendant health authority would be legally responsible.”
Additionally, Nova Scotia Health’s defense asserts that “any care they provided to Allison Holthoff was provided reasonably, appropriately and in a manner consistent with the applicable standard of care under the circumstances.”
Death of Allison Holthoff
Holthoff, a 37-year-old mother of three, died in the Cumberland Regional Health Center emergency room on New Year’s Eve after waiting seven hours for care. The lawsuit states that she reported “extreme pain in the upper left side of her abdomen, shortness of breath and nausea” and that she died of an untreated splenic aneurysm.
The lawsuit alleged that her husband, Gunter, repeatedly expressed concern about Holthoff’s condition, but she was largely left unsupervised. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages, including special, material and non-material damages. It should be noted that the accusations were not proven in court.
In response, the Nova Scotia Health Authority filed a notice of defense on February 28. She stated that the harm, loss or damage suffered by the plaintiff was not the result of negligence on their part or on the part of anyone for whom they were responsible. The health authority argued that the care provided to Allison Holthoff was reasonable, appropriate and in accordance with the applicable standard of care in the circumstances.
The notice of defense specifically denied the allegations from one part of the lawsuit. This section alleged that the defendant, together with its agents and employees, breached its duty of care by:
- Failure to conduct timely and appropriate testing or overlooking important testing findings.
- Failed to triage Holthoff.
- Failing to rule out potential diagnoses that pose a serious risk to Holthoff.
- Failure to update or adjust Holthoff’s triage score as her condition worsened.
- Failure to bring Holthoff’s urgent and distressed condition to the physician’s attention.
- Failure to meet standard of care in monitoring and monitoring Holthoff and her symptoms.
The defense brief did not present an alternative sequence of events regarding the night of Holthoff’s death.
The defense stated: “Defendant Health Authority challenges the plaintiff to provide strict evidence of damages” and asked for the claim to be dismissed with costs.
How did Allison Holthoff die?
Allison Holthoff died in the waiting room of a Canadian ambulance after waiting approximately seven hours for treatment. Due to the worsening of her symptoms, she was urgently transferred to the hospital, but despite her deteriorating condition, she did not see the doctor until late in the evening.
During the examination, she collapsed while trying to provide a urine sample. Allison’s condition continued to deteriorate and she eventually went into cardiac arrest caused by internal bleeding. Despite the possibility of surgery, her chances of survival were less than one percent. The incident raised concerns for Health Canada, and an investigation was launched.
What happened to Allison Holthoff?
Allison Holthoff, a 37-year-old mother of three, tragically died in the waiting room of a Canadian ambulance after waiting for approximately seven hours. Due to the worsening of her symptoms, she was urgently transferred to a hospital in Nova Scotia, but despite her deteriorating condition, she did not see a doctor until late in the afternoon.
During the examination, she collapsed while trying to provide a urine sample. Her condition worsened further, and she pleaded with her husband, expressing that she felt as if she was dying. The nurses allegedly ignored her as she writhed in pain on the floor. She eventually went into cardiac arrest and was found to have internal bleeding. Despite the option of surgery, her chances of survival were less than one percent, and the family made the difficult decision not to proceed. The incident raised concerns about the quality of health care in Canada, leading to an investigation by the Nova Scotia Health Authority.
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Categories: General
Source: HIS Education