Terri Schiavo Nurse Who Accused Michael of Mistreatment Tells More 
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
July 4, 2006
St. Petersburg, FL (LifeNews.com) — LifeNews.com previously reported on nurse Carla Sauer-Iyer and the attacks she is facing in Florida for exposing Michael Schiavo’s mistreatment of Terri Schiavo during the 1990s. Iyer recently gave an interview with Fox News on its "Hannity and Colmes" program and a transcript of the exchange appears below.
SEAN HANNITY, CO-HOST: In March of last year, as Terri Schiavo was dying in her hospice bed, we had on the show a nurse who had previously treated Terri. Now, here’s some of what she had to say about Terri.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CARLA SAUER-IYER, TREATED TERRI SCHIAVO: She was reactive to her environment, to herself, and to other people. We would even have Terri sitting at the nurses’ station. She was interacting with the visitors and the staff.
I took care of Terri in ’95 and ’96, and I witnessed her cognitive abilities, including speaking, eating, interacting with staff. She was saying words, such as, "Mommy," "help me," and she would say the word "pain." She would say, "Hi." She would know who you are. She — I would –she would laugh if I told her something funny. She would turn her head. She would follow commands. She would move off the bed to be placed on a bed pan.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HANNITY: Now, those specific comments have Carla Sauer-Iyer in big trouble with the Florida Department of Health. They have filed a complaint with the board of nursing over her appearance on the show, stating that she failed to meet minimal standards by violating the confidentiality of information or knowledge concerning a patient, in this case Terri Schiavo.
The Department of Health is recommending a wide range of penalties, including a fine of $1,683 and for the license of Carla Sauer-Iyer to be permanently revoked.
Carla joins us right now. Carla, thanks for being with us. First of all, you had filed, just for the record, and affidavit in the case, correct?
SAUER-IYER: Correct.
HANNITY: Where you were given specific information about your recollection, your treatment in the case of Terri Schiavo, right?
SAUER-IYER: Yes. There was an affidavit filed under the legal defense for Governor Jeb Bush. I had an affidavit out for state and federal courts. It was all in the public domain and the public record.
HANNITY: That’s the point that I wanted to get to here. This is an affidavit; this is a legal proceeding. You were compelled to do so. You did so in this particular case.
As a nurse, your first job, I assume, is wanting to save people’s lives. You felt the truth wasn’t being told, the story wasn’t being told. You told it; it’s on the public record. So why is there a problem here when you’re just disclosing what was on the public record?
SAUER-IYER: The first complaint came out of Massachusetts, around March 28. It has lied dormant until May [sic], when I was served by the Department of Health trying to permanently revoke my license, never to entertain any license at any future date, which has a domino effect that I can’t practice in any other state either.
HANNITY: Do you think in any way that Michael Schiavo may have any culpability in this?
SAUER-IYER: I don’t know the hand or hands that are moving this into a — into a revoked situation.
HANNITY: So the bottom line is as a result of a public appearance, just corroborating and confirming what was a legal case here, you now risk losing your career, your livelihood. What is your recourse? What are your lawyers telling you?
SAUER-IYER: That it’s improbable for the Department of Health to pursue these legal actions against me when there was an affidavit out for Governor Jeb Bush. It was talked around the whole world, at most water coolers around the world.
ALAN COLMES, CO-HOST: Carla, it’s Alan Colmes. Do you have a duty of confidentiality, as we talked about in the opening of this segment? Wouldn’t that duty of confidentiality preclude you from talking about the patient and what you experienced with the patient?
SAUER-IYER: As a nurse you have to intervene when you suspect abuse. Abuse is not a private family matter. You have an obligation morally and ethically to stand up and advocate for your patients.
COLMES: Some of the things you said have been contradicted. You said that you believe that Michael, for example, injected Terri with insulin to intentionally make her sick. An investigation found nothing of that actually took place.
You talked on our show about her speaking. The autopsy showed she was not aware of her surroundings. Her reactions were automatic. There was no evidence of thought or consciousness.
So there’s quite a dispute about whether what you said was accurate.
SAUER-IYER: No. I went to the police in August of 1996, and Michael’s mother-in-law worked for the Pinellas County sheriff’s office. So there could be a hand in removing some police reports, altering that. There is a police report on file, the Pinellas County sheriff’s office…
HANNITY: Carla, we’re going to have to pick up the story another day, because we’re just out of time. We’re on a hard break here. But we hope you get to keep your job. We hate to think you lost it as a result of this show. Thanks for being with us.
SAUER-IYER: Thank you.
