Nurse who incorrectly administered medication showed ‘serious deficit in knowledge,’ inquiry hears
A nurse who incorrectly administered a sleeping tablet to a woman in the middle of the day showed a serious deficit in knowledge around medications, a fitness to practice inquiry heard.
A Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) fitness to practice committee heard a nurse with fourteen years experience in general nursing demonstrated a potentially serious lack of awareness around common medications.
The registered nurse faced an allegation of poor professional performance and non-compliance with the code of professional conduct owing to a single incident after she took up a new role in a psychiatric facility.
The registrant admitted administering zopiclone 7.5mg, a sleeping tablet, to Patient A, at 3.30pm on January 19, 2022 in circumstances where it was not clinically appropriate to do so.
An audit of medications discovered the error, and the registrant was informed on February 11, 2022.
It was accepted by the registrant that she did not recognise the error and did not know the correct use of zopiclone.
On the same date, the committee heard the registrant also did not know the correct use of another medication mirtazapine, an anti-depressant.
On February 15, 2022, during a performance appraisal that focused on medication the registrant, it was alleged, demonstrated serious deficits in medication knowledge when asked about ten different common medications in use within the facility.
The committee heard the registrant did not know the correct use and/or daily maximum dose of three medications including venlafaxine, flurazepam and quetiapine.
It is further alleged the registrant did not know the side effects if lithium levels are too high in the blood and did not know the therapeutic ranges.
It was further alleged the registrant did not know the side effects of lamotrigine.
The committee heard the registrant had only began working in the psychiatric facility a short time before the incident occurred and had worked as a general nurse for fourteen years prior to this.
The registrant, in a statement read to the committee, said she believed she did not get sufficient training when she began her employment and made an allegation about the level of responsibility assigned to her almost immediately upon her arrival at the facility.
The claims were denied by her managers.
When she addressed questions from the committee, the registrant said she is still working as a general nurse in a nursing home and still administers medication.
She said that in her current role if she has any questions around medications she talks to her superiors.
“I have learned my lesson,” she said.
The registrant made an application to be censured by the board and undertook to carry out further training in medications.
After hearing from a professional expert, several witnesses and an independent legal assessor the committee said it was satisfied censure was appropriate.
The committee accepted the registrant demonstrated insight into her actions and made full admissions.
The registrant gave a sworn undertaking she would not repeat the conduct and would not undertake work in an area of nursing that she was not qualified.
The registrant also swore to undertake within 12 months an NMBI approved competency-based programme in relation to medication management at her own expense.
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