Stafford nursing home resident dies suddenly weeks after fall
An elderly woman died suddenly just over a fortnight after suffering a fall in a nursing home, an inquest heard.
Coralie Netherwood suffered a fall at Maple Court nursing home in Stafford on April 2 and was diagnosed with a possible fractured sternum, Cannock Coroner's Court heard.
She also suffered lacerations to her leg as a result of the fall and the wound was dressed at hospital before she returned to the nursing home.
The 92-year-old retired nursery nurse complained of chest pain while she was in the company of a carer on April 17 shortly before collapsing.
She was taken to Stafford Hospital but was pronounced dead shortly after her arrival.
A postmortem examination found Ms Netherwood had suffered a pulmonary embolism - a blockage in the artery that transports blood to the lungs.
Pathologist Paul Hiley said there was an increased chance of this happening when someone suffered a fracture and became immobile.
Ms Netherwood also had multiple fractured ribs, although the inquest heard that this could have been caused by care home staff and paramedics trying to give her CPR.
South Staffordshire Coroner Mr Andrew Haigh concluded that she had died as a result of an accident.
