Pensioner's leg was 'floppy', court told in Walsall nurse's manslaughter trial
A staff nurse who was asked to assess a 91-year-old widow who was found with a broken leg at a care home and later died has told a court her leg was a different shape and "floppy."
Jillian Kilgallon was called down from her work on the first floor to look at the injury to Iris Teale who was on ground level at Aston Court Nursing Home.
She had been requested to assess Mrs Teale by fellow nurse Santhosh Rajan, of Walsall, who is on trial charged with manslaughter.
Mrs Kilgallon said it had not been suggested how the injury was caused but said there was a need for paramedics to be called.
Giving evidence at Birmingham Crown Court she said: "The left leg was quite floppy, it didn't look normal. I had a feel of her thigh it felt crumbly underneath.
"I said it looks like its fractured we ought to call 999 and get the ambulance."
She admitted there had been issues with short-staffing at the care home and occasions where people would have to be lifted by one person other than two as stated in a care plan.
The prosecution has accused Rajan, aged 39, of Bentley Lane, of gross negligence saying Mrs Teale suffered a broken leg and later died after being mishandled by him. He denies any wrong-doing.
The court heard that care assistants would normally do tasks such as moving residents and applying cream, but nurses would still fulfil such roles. But it was said Rajan had a reputation for not jumping in to help out.
When asked if Rajan had ever been rough or impatient with residents, care assistant Sharon Evans, said she had not. She agreed he was kind and people with patients.
Grandmother Mrs Teale, of Streetly, was transferred to Good Hope Hospital in Sutton Coldfield after being found with a fractured femur, but passed away just over two weeks later in October 2011 due to a number of health factors.
It is claimed her leg injury was a significant contributory factor. She had been a resident at Aston Court care and residential home in Little Aston since 2006 having previously suffered a stroke.
Jurors have been told there was a previous incident the day before she was found with the broken leg where staff were disciplined for not lifting her correctly. But the prosecution do not believe this was the cause of her injury.
The trial, which is expected to last up to a month, continues.
