A BUNGLING nurse whose colleagues had to step in to stop her giving a patient a fatal overdose has been banned from the job for a year. Julie Darlington, 28, was demoted to working as a healthcare assistant.
It was said she failed to understand basic medical conditions at North Manchester General, and Fairfield Hospital in Bury.
Her bosses had to supervise her to prevent her harming people in error and giving them the wrong instructions about how to take their medicine when they went home. They said she tried to give a patient three times the safe dose of a painkilling drug similar to heroin in error.
On another occasion she `rammed' a tube into a patient's nose causing her to scream in agony. She was also spotted recording identical information for two patients, one who was dying and one who was about to go home.
The nursing and midwifery council heard she was unable to explain what a gall bladder was. It took her hours to complete a drug round and she failed to complete care plans.
When she was asked to get a diabetic's blood-glucose reading she relied on one that had been taken two hours earlier.
She was transferred to the day surgery unit at Fairfield Hospital where she was closely supervised and given extra training but her performance was still below standard.
She was suspended when she failed to carry out the proper checks on a critically-ill patient.
Darlington, from Tottington, Bury, admitted incompetence saying she was stressed at work because of health problems.
Standards
Panel chief Irene Read said: "In view of the support already offered to the nurse by her employers, we have no confidence in her potential to achieve the required standards."
A spokesman for Pennine Acute Trust which runs hospitals in North Manchester, Bury, Oldham and Rochdale said: "Julie Darlington is currently working for us as a healthcare support worker. This is not a nursing role.
"It is not the trust's decision to reinstate Julie Darlington should she want to return to nursing. She would have to reapply to the Nursing and Midwifery Council if she wished to retrain as a nurse."
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Bungling nurse is banned for a year
March 20, 2009
Showing comments 1 to 17 and replies | View All
gillykins, urmston (20/03/2009 at 08:19)
Angie33 , Manchester (20/03/2009 at 08:25)
Frostee, Oldham (20/03/2009 at 10:22)
JCP, Sale (20/03/2009 at 12:46)
By the Good Blue Spirit invested in me, I do declare, My Tax. (20/03/2009 at 12:49)
I see the nurse is now working as an healthcare support worker. How long as she had off work to recover before she has been given this other job. Are the management sure she is clear of her stress. Although it appears she poses no threat to patients. Is the nurses well-being thoroughly being thought out.
Stress can sometimes take a long tome to disolve and if I was that nurse and I was still suffering stress then I would take as long as it will take to recover. You have to look after yourself because sometimes employers look at it that you may be a burden to resources with sick leave, and that can become their main priority.
You might think healthcare is all about healthcare but don't kid yourself in my view it can be ruthless toothless bunkum.
Ace Shakespeare , manchester (20/03/2009 at 13:36)
Southern Belle, Oldham (20/03/2009 at 19:01)
Frostee, Oldham (20/03/2009 at 19:05)
Ah yes, 'STRESS' that exaggerated bit of nonsense that is used to cover up all sorts of deficiences today. And of course the preferred solution is - time off; with pay if possible. Personally I'd give all stress addicts time off, permanently! They can then go and find an occupation that they are capable of doing.
By the Good Blue Spirit invested in me, I do declare, My Tax. (20/03/2009 at 22:38)
Sparky was the best ever (21/03/2009 at 04:49)
uss midway, Holstein Ostsee. (21/03/2009 at 17:46)
Mr Mancunian, Sydney Australia (22/03/2009 at 06:50)
The horror stories reported in the M.E.N about incompetance & neglect in British hospitals go on & on. Nobody takes the blame & nobody is ever disciplined.
An absolute disgrace. This woman's supervisors should be diciplined for not protecting vulnerable sick people (this person had been caught in the act before) & I have no words that can adequately describe my disgust towards the nursing council.
Thank goodness I don't have to rely on the British N.H.S. in my old age.
A complete shambles from every point of view.
Mr Mancunian, Sydney Australia (23/03/2009 at 06:58)
I don't think that it was offensive or inappropriate. It was in line with most of the other comments if a little stronger.
Your censor is a little sensitive about criticism from abroad?
Angie33 , Manchester (23/03/2009 at 13:41)
Every person who turns a blind eye to something like this should be ashamed of themselves.There is no excuse.
What about personal responsibility.
Angie33 , Manchester (23/03/2009 at 13:43)
Dispatches.Confessions of a nurse.
Ivestigation into standard of care in NHS hospitals.
Angie33 , Manchester (23/03/2009 at 13:52)
Angie33 , Manchester (23/03/2009 at 14:47)
This is what drives me mad about 'The tax payers of this country' or 'the decent working families '.Yes some are decent.So are many on the dole,jobseekers and the sick,many who didnt choose to be sick or have mental health problems.They didnt choose to have to look after a succession of relatives or their grandchildren so their children could get on.
Hopefully there will be more stories regarding the undeserving employed,many of whom I have had dealings with..
It costs a few million to keep alcoholics on incapacity benefit weve heard this week.
How much does it cost for the employed,incompetent skiver.
The workers have their deserving and undeserving people the same as the unemployed ,though I imagine they cost far more.
As the average wage these days is around 400£ per week there may be something in the saying.
'Blessed are the poor'.