Nurse given caution on overdoses

5:46pm Thursday 22nd May 2008

A nurse now working at a Bingley nursing home has been given a caution after she gave two overdoses and risked a patient's life by sending him into surgery without the correct medication while she was working at Bradford Royal Infirmary.

Aaisha Khan, 34, was working for BRI on the Ward 23 trauma unit, looking after high-dependency patients when she made the three errors.

On July 12, 2005, she sent an 83-year-old diabetic into theatre without hooking her up to a vital dextrose and potassium drip, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) heard.

The following month she gave another patient doses of Fosomax over three days when she should only have had the drug once a week.

And just days later she gave another patient an overdose of paracetamol. She was suspended on August 23 and a formal review was launched.

The NMC found the charges proved but decided not to strike her off, instead giving her a caution, which will apply to her for one year.

Stephen James, for the NMC, said the mistake involving the diabetic patient's preparation for surgery in July, could have caused a "potentially lethal situation".

In addressing the Fosomax overdoses, panel chairman Elizabeth Rush said: "The panel is satisfied that Nurse Khan administered the medication on the days in question."

Mrs Rush also criticised the hospital for "systemic failings" which did not spot the overdoses, adding: "The pharmacist who checked the documentation daily didn't identify these problems for a week nor did any other nursing staff."

Khan said she had no recollection of giving the Fosomax.

Khan accepted she had given the paracetamol to a patient but claimed it was standard practice for nurses to give paracetamol if a patient had been prescribed co-codamol - which contains codeine and paracetamol.

But Mrs Rush said: "Ward policy requires that all drugs including paracetamol must be prescribed by a doctor."

Khan, who represented herself, told the hearing: "It is not misconduct it is just some mistakes as a human being. I have learned lessons from my mistakes and I am much more careful with my medicines and my documentation."

Khan provided a positive reference from Lady Park Nursing Home in Bingley, where she has worked since her dismissal from the NHS.

The panel was satisfied Khan had learned from the experience and that it was not in the interests of the public to prevent her from practising.

Lady Park Nursing Home, which was aware of the proceedings, would not comment on the decision.

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