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Doctor caught on camera mocking patient suffering anxiety attack

The moment a doctor mocked a patient who suffered an apparent anxiety attack has been caught on camera.

Damning footage shows Beth Keegstra ridiculing 20-year-old Samuel Bardwell who was taken to El Camino hospital near San Jose, US, on June 12 after falling ill during basketball training at his new university, The Mercury News reported.

“I’m sorry, sir, you are the least sick of all the people who are here, who are dying,” Ms Ms Keegstra tells Mr Bardwell in the video.

“There, so you picked your head up. Now don’t try to tell me you can’t move. C’mon, sit up.”

Ms Keegstra appears to show little sympathy for Mr Bardwell who tells her he can’t breathe. Source: Facebook/ Donald Bardwell
Ms Keegstra appears to show little sympathy for Mr Bardwell who tells her he can’t breathe. Source: Facebook/ Donald Bardwell

Mr Bardwell and his father Donald, who filmed the encounter, argue with the doctor saying he is unable to sit up.

She begins to yank Mr Bardwell’s arm in an attempt to make him sit up, prompting the student to reveal he is struggling to breathe.

“He can’t inhale. Wow! He must be dead. Are you dead, sir?” Ms Keegstra then asks.

The doctor then asks Mr Bardwell if he was simply there to receive “narcotics”.

Mr Bardwell (right) and his father, Donald (left) were disappointed with the doctor’s approach. Source: Facebook/ Donald Bardwell
Mr Bardwell (right) and his father, Donald (left) were disappointed with the doctor’s approach. Source: Facebook/ Donald Bardwell

Ms Keegstra has since been placed on leave by the hospital while an investigation ensues, an El Camino hospital spokesperson said.

“Obviously we take this very seriously. This is not reflective of the care this organization provides. We’ve apologized to the patient,” they said.

Donald Bardwell said his son suffers from anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder which led to his prescription of Klonopin, which can cause seizures.

“He was on medication for his anxiety, but was off his meds for two days because he couldn’t get to the pharmacy before it closed,” Donald Bardwell told The Mercury News.

“They treated us like we were there just to get drugs,” he added.

Mr Bardwell’s basketball coach at West Valley College Scott Eitelgeorge said the young man appeared to be “having a pretty severe anxiety attack” during practice before collapsing on the ground outside.