Winnipeg family seeks answers after 55-year-old dies following hours-long wait in St. Boniface ER

The family of a woman who died after an 11-hour wait in a Winnipeg emergency room last month say they’re stunned and seeking answers about the care she received before her death. 

Stacey Ross, 55, died on Jan. 16 after waiting for hours to be admitted to a room at St. Boniface Hospital. Hospital documents viewed by CBC News say she had pneumonia and was septic. 

Stacey Ross’s sister Sheri Ross said Stacey had been sick with a virus before the December holidays.

Stacey was coughing frequently and could “hardly make it a full day” when she returned back to work as an educational assistant at Grant Park High School in January, Sheri said. 

Stacey went to the emergency room at St. Boniface Hospital on Jan. 4 with chest pains and a frequent cough. She waited for 12 hours and was sent home without antibiotics, Sheri said. 

“They sent her home in the morning with no medication and said she was fine,” Sheri said. 

Stacey Ross, 55, died on Jan. 16 after waiting for about 11 hours to be admitted to a room at St. Boniface Hospital, her family says. (Submitted by Morgan Ross)

The family doesn’t know if staff ran any tests on Stacey during that hospital visit. 

Stacey’s cough persisted between the Jan. 4 ER visit and her death on Jan. 16.

She went to the doctor’s office twice during that time, her sister said. 

Stacey experienced the same chest pain while at work on the morning of Jan. 15 and was sent via ambulance to St. Boniface Hospital, Sheri said. Around 10:30 a.m., Sheri met her sister at the emergency room, where Stacey was given a blood test and electrocardiogram upon arrival. 

Then they sat together until about 2 p.m. During that time, Stacey was in stable condition and seemed to be doing OK, Sheri said. 

“She was fine. We were playing games on our phones, we were talking, we were looking at pictures. Everything was fine,” she said. 

Sheri Ross, left, says her sister Stacey Ross, right, had a wonderful sense of humour, which always made for fun adventures during their travels together. (Submitted by Morgan Ross)

Sheri left and Stacey texted her at 9:30 p.m. to say she’d finally been admitted to a room, Sheri said. She said she didn’t know if staff were monitoring her sister or if she received additional testing while she waited. 

Shortly after being admitted to a room, Stacey’s oxygen levels dropped.

Staff called Sheri just before 11 p.m., telling her to get to the hospital right away. 

When she arrived, Stacey was on life support, Sheri said. 

Stacey’s 19-year-old daughter Morgan Ross said one of the last things her mother told her was that she’d be OK and that hospital staff would take care of her. 

“She was hooked up to about four or five machines, IVs in her everywhere, and it was just a horrible, horrible sight. And the second last thing she said to us was ‘Do not cry, Morgan, I’ll be OK,’ and that ‘They will fix me.’ Those are her exact words,'” Morgan said. 

Morgan Ross, right, says her mother Stacey Ross, left, was her role model. (Submitted by Morgan Ross)

In their last moments together, Morgan said her mom struggled to lift her hand to hold hers.

“It was unbelievable to the point where I couldn’t breathe,” Morgan said. 

“I lost a big part of myself that day that I won’t ever get back,” she said, remembering her mother as someone who could make anyone laugh — even during difficult moments. 

Stacey’s family has yet to receive an autopsy report, Sheri said, but they’ve been left with questions about the quality of care Stacey received before she died. 

“I don’t understand how you could sit there for 11 hours [being] fine and then die two hours after being in a room. I don’t get it. I just want to have answers as to what happened,” Sheri said. 

Stacey Ross visited St. Boniface Hospital twice in January after experiencing coughing, shortness of breath and chest pains. (Submitted by Morgan Ross)

Stacey repeatedly sought medical help in the two weeks before she died, her sister said.

“She advocated for herself. She really tried. She knew she wasn’t well, but nobody did anything,” Sheri said. 

Morgan said her mother “did everything right” when she fell ill, but didn’t get the help she needed. 

“Knowing that someone tried with 110 per cent to receive absolutely nothing back — no one deserves that treatment,” Morgan said.

She told her mom “Don’t leave until you find an answer” during her final hospital visit. 

Now she’s wondering how this could happen within Manitoba’s health-care system. 

Morgan Ross, right, says her mother Stacey Ross, left, had a great sense of humour and could make anyone laugh, even during difficult times. (Submitted by Morgan Ross)

Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara said Stacey’s death is being investigated as a critical incident, while expressing “sincere condolences to the family” in a statement on Sunday. 

The provincial government has established a dedicated team to address long wait times and health-care system improvements to “reduce pressure in emergency departments” and “help patients move safely through the system and home sooner,” Asagwara said.

A Winnipeg Regional Health Authority spokesperson also extended condolences to the Ross family, and said their patient relations team has been in touch to offer support and review Stacey’s death.

“As part of that process, the family will be invited to share their experience. We are unable to provide any further details due to patient privacy laws,” the spokesperson said in a written statement.

Sheri said her sister might still be alive today if emergency room staff had checked on her and run tests throughout her hours-long wait. 

“It shouldn’t have happened,” Sheri said. 

“I want to know what happened and why she’s not here.”

WATCH | Winnipeg woman dies after 11-hour wait in ER:

Winnipeg woman dies after 11-hour wait in ER

A Winnipeg woman died at St. Boniface Hospital after waiting 11 and 12 hours on two separate visits. Now the family is waiting to learn the cause of death, and believe the loss could have been prevented.