A Fife nurse who admitted secretly giving medicine to a Fife care home resident has been struck off, despite having already retired.
Katherine Johnson admitted a catalogue of failings in dealing with three residents two years ago while she was deputy home manager at Balfarg Care Home in Glenrothes.
At the time of the offences, the registered nurse was employed by Southern Cross Healthcare which collapsed last year at the 50-bed home.
Mrs Johnson was called before the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s conduct and competence committee to answer charges that the incidents, which all centred on August 11 2010, had impaired her fitness to practise.
The NMC panel heard that the nurse had admitted all the charges against her. These included Mrs Johnson administering medication covertly to resident C by pouring medicine into her beaker, allowing medication to be stored in an unlocked bathroom and leaving one care assistant working alone while she went outside for a cigarette break.
She also admitted a catalogue of errors surrounding the care of resident A, including failing to ensure that:
the resident’s room was kept clean used oral swabs were disposed of there were bumpers on the bed rails fresh drinks were available the resident was offered fluids from 6.30-8.45am fluids offered during this time were recorded the resident’s care plan was kept up to date a pain assessment was in place a pressure relieving care plan was in place failing to ensure instructions given to her by the person in charge, Louise Lobban, were followed in that she didn’t ensure the resident was offered fluids every 15 minutes and did not make sure fluids offered were recorded on a chart.
Mrs Johnson also admitted errors in looking after another resident, including failing to ensure their care plan was kept up to date or referring them to a dietician.
The panel took the view Mrs Johnson, who resigned from her post and has since retired, had breached fundamental codes of her profession.
The code stated that nurses and midwives should make the care of people their first concern, work with others to protect and promote the health and wellbeing of those in their care and provide a high standard of practice and care.
Panel members considered specific areas of the code relevant in this case, including the gaining of consent before beginning any treatment or care, treating people as individuals, keeping accurate records and upholding the reputation of the profession.
They noted the only explanation or mitigation submitted by Mrs Johnson for the events which unfolded was that, in her view, organisational deficiencies were partly to blame.
”However, there is nothing to indicate that she has sought to address her shortcomings in respect of the matters concerned,” they said.
In any event the panel found she had failed to uphold the standards expected of a registered nurse and had damaged the reputation of her profession.
Even though she posed a low risk of repeating the errors due to her resignation, her insight was found to be limited.
”This was not a single incident and her misconduct was fundamentally incompatible with the code,” they determined.
In concluding a striking off order was the only appropriae and proportionate response, the panel said removing Mrs Johnson from the register would maintain the public’s trust and confidence in the profession and in the NMC as a regulator.