47-Year-Old Nurse Was Told Her ‘Crushing’ Chest Pain Was Indigestion. She Died 3 Days Later

A nurse in England who went to hospital with what she described as “crushing” chest pain was sent home with a diagnosis of indigestion — and died three days later after a medical emergency, according to evidence heard at an inquest.

In March 2024, 47-year-old Paula Ivers — a pediatric nurse with more than 24 years of experience — attended Tameside Hospital in Greater Manchester with severe chest pain she told her partner was worse than childbirth, ITV News reported.

At a hearing at Manchester South Coroners’ Court in Stockport on Monday, Nov. 17, the court was told that three days after that visit, Paula’s 9-year-old daughter found her collapsed on the bedroom floor. She was later pronounced dead. A post-mortem examination concluded that Paula had died from an aortic dissection.

According to the Mayo Clinic, an aortic dissection is a medical emergency that occurs when a tear develops in the inner layer of the aorta, the body’s main artery. Blood forces its way through the tear, splitting the inner and middle layers of the artery; if the bleeding escapes the artery altogether, the condition is frequently fatal.

When Paula first arrived at hospital, she was reportedly “reassured” that her pain was not coming from her heart and was discharged the same day, the Manchester Evening News reported, citing the inquest.

Her partner, Simon Norbury, told the court that Paula had been “struggling to breathe” in the car on the way to the emergency department, where she had been sent by her general practitioner the previous day. Blood tests and a chest X-ray were carried out, but a CT scan was not ordered, according to Metro.

Paula’s ECG was later shown to have been abnormal, but Dr. Osama Ahmed assessed her as “low risk,” the inquest heard. He told the court he now accepts that assessment was wrong and that Paula should have been admitted to hospital immediately.

“We were shocked to have lost her when we were told it was indigestion and there was nothing to worry about,” Norbury said, per Metro.

He added that Paula had described her pain to doctors as “severe,” rating it “eight or nine out of 10,” according to the Manchester Evening News.

The court also heard that Paula’s father had died from a cardiac arrest in his early 40s, ITV News reported, indicating a family history of serious cardiac problems.

Dr. Ahmed told the inquest he referred Paula to the hospital’s Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) unit without knowing her family history and without examining her himself, the court heard.

Paula was eventually discharged with a diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease, the Manchester Evening News reported. Norbury said they were told she was suffering from trapped wind and indigestion.

In a statement read to the court, he said: “You could see that she was still not feeling right. She sadly died on March 8, 2024.” The inquest heard Paula had been struggling to sleep because of the severity of her pain.

Her family is now accusing the hospital of providing poor care, according to Metro.

Her sister, fellow nurse Lesley Ivers, told the inquest: “It is a cruel irony that Paula was a fierce advocate and defender of the NHS, yet when she needed it most, she was let down in the worst way possible.”

Due to staff shortages and ongoing doctors’ strikes in the U.K., the coroner adjourned Paula’s inquest until June 2026, ITV News reported.

A spokesperson for the Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust said in a statement, “Our thoughts are with Paula’s family at this very sad time. We are very sorry for their loss.

“As a learning organization, we will carefully consider the coroner’s findings. At this stage, we are unable to comment further on the inquest until a conclusion has been reached,” the spokesperson added.

Manchester South Coroners’ Court in Stockport did not immediately respond to a request for additional information.