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The Ottawa Hospital has apologized after a staff member pointed to the floor when a patient begged for a place to lie down during a long wait in the emergency department.

Martina Campbell, a retired nurse who worked at the Civic among other places, witnessed the incident Monday night at the Civic hospital’s crowded emergency room. She said the man, who had injured his back, was vomiting and crying in pain. When a health worker came by he pleaded for a place to lie down, according to Campbell, saying: “I can’t take this much longer, I feel like I am going to pass out.”

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Campbell said the worker pointed to a dirty, high traffic spot on the floor in response to the plea.

“The waiting room became silent. There were gasps. A few people beside me said, ‘You’ve got to be kidding’.”

Campbell, who wrote a letter to this newspaper about the incident, said she became the man’s advocate, arguing that he needed a stretcher.