A Fife nurse has been sanctioned after putting patients at risk of harm by mislabelling and failing to process smear tests.
Aileen Robertson, who worked at North Glen Medical Practice in Glenrothes, “fell significantly short” of the standards expected of a nurse, according to the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
Having assessed the evidence, the watchdog found 10 instances of misconduct in 2018 and 2019.
Nurse caused three-month screening delay
On one occasion she mislabelled three smear test results, meaning all had to be destroyed.
All three patients had to have a repeat smear examination, which could only be done after a three-month period as repeating the smear examination any earlier increases the risk of a misdiagnosis by false abnormal result.
Mrs Robertson, who admitted all charges, resigned after an investigation into her conduct by the practice.
The NMC acknowledged Mrs Robertson has been working without any incidents since leaving the practice.
But in regards to the mislabelling of smear tests, it said: “There was the potential for psychological harm to the individuals involved who would have to go through the cervical smear procedure again.
“If the mistakes had not been picked up by the lab, a cervical cancer could have potentially been missed until it was symptomatic at which time it is often too late to treat.”
Patient left with acute pancreatitis
The tribunal said Mrs Robertson should have been uploading the samples in real time while she was with the patients and checking their information, not at the end of the day as she did.
This caused her to label two cervical smear samples with the same patient information, despite having conducted three tests on three different individuals.
The public, quite rightly, expects nurses to provide safe and effective care, and conduct themselves in ways that promotes trust
Nursing and Midwifery Council
In another incident, she also left an important lab result unopened. As a result the patient required antibiotic treatment and was hospitalised with acute pancreatitis.
She was given a conditions of practice order for 12 months and interim conditions of practice order for 18 months after the failures.
Among these is that she must be under direct supervision from a senior while conducting cervical smear examinations.
The NMC added her actions could have affected the public’s faith in the healthcare system.
The decision said: “Mrs Robertson’s actions have impaired patient confidence in the practice and potentially the nursing profession.
“The public, quite rightly, expects nurses to provide safe and effective care, and
conduct themselves in ways that promotes trust.
“Mrs Robertson’s actions/inactions could cause patients and members of the public to be concerned about their safety and feel unnecessarily anxious about their healthcare treatment.
Fears patients could be ‘deterred’
“This could result in patients, and members of the public, feeling deterred from seeking
medical assistance when they should.
“Therefore, it is agreed that Mrs Robertson’s conduct has brought the profession into disrepute and that she has breached the trust placed in her.”
A spokesperson for North Glen Medical Practice said: “We unable to comment on individual staff members past or present.
“However, we can offer reassurance to our patients that any concerns identified at the time were addressed comprehensively by the practice and the person concerned is no longer employed by North Glen.”
The Courier has been unable to reach Mrs Robertson for comment.
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