Nelson Marlborough District Health Board is investigating claims that a woman had to pay a private nurse to care for her mother in Nelson Hospital.
Golden Bay resident Victoria Davis says nurses at the hospital told her in February they were too short staffed to care properly for the seriously ill patient.
Ms Davis says she was advised to hire help if she couldn't provide it herself.
She says she paid a private nurse for 10 days and believes her mother would not have recovered from a life threatening infection without the additional care.
Ms Davis lodged a complaint with the District Health Board last week. The DHB says it is taking the complaint seriously but won't comment further.
