A NURSE ran from a ward crying “I’ve killed him” after feeding a tablet to a patient who choked and died, an inquest heard.

Agency nurse Kirsten May gave Norman Betchley the tablet even though an A5 sign above his head stated “nil by mouth”, Chelmsford Coroners Court heard.

Mr Betchley, 81, had been admitted to hospital two months earlier after suffering breathing difficulties,

He was being fed either through his nose or by a PEG feeding tube into his stomach.

Although Mr Betchley had shown signs of improvement, he had been placed on the Liverpool Pathway, which dictates patients should not be resuscitated.

But he died shortly after 8am on April 9 after he was given a tablet to take with a glass of water.

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