– Announcement –
– Announcement –
A Lincolnshire care home patient died after a nurse gave them ten times more morphine than prescribed
A nurse who was arrested but dropped the case will be fired.
– Announcement –
In a devastating incident that rocked the medical community, a Lincolnshire nurse, Nicola Sharp, administered a lethal dose of morphine to a patient, resulting in his death.
The incident happened at Howson Care Centre, near Gainsborough, on 19 October 2019. Nurse Nicola Sharp incorrectly administered 2.5ml of morphine to the patient, even though they were only prescribed 2.5 mg.
This surprising error resulted in the patient receiving a dose up to ten times higher than intended, ultimately proving fatal.
The alarm was raised when an on-call doctor examined the patient after he died and discovered the excessive amount of morphine in his system. Worried by this shocking discovery, the doctor contacted the police.
Nurse Sharp was arrested and spent two days in custody before police determined there was no real chance of a conviction.
The inquest into the patient's death took place in April 2021, with the coroner attributing the cause of death to the “effects of morphine” and concluding it was a case of “misadventure”.
Sadly, this was not an isolated incident for Nurse Sharp. In August 2020, she started working at another care home, only to leave in March 2023 after another medication error.
On this occasion, he mistakenly administered 19 units of insulin to a patient, instead of the prescribed four units. Fortunately, the patient was not seriously harmed as a result of this error.
In light of these medication errors, a Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) hearing was held to determine Nurse Sharp's fitness to continue working as a nurse.
The hearing, held last month, delved into the details of the incidents and their implications for patient safety.
The NMC hearing panel concluded that Nurse Sharp's actions breached the Code of Professional Standards of Practice and Behaviour.
They determined that her misconduct amounted to a serious departure from the standards expected of a registered nurse and brought the nursing profession into disrepute.
The panel found that Nurse Sharp showed no insight or remorse for her actions. It provided no evidence of steps taken to strengthen its practice or prevent similar errors from occurring in the future.
This lack of accountability and responsibility further compounded the seriousness of his misconduct.
Given the seriousness of the situation and the potential risk to patients, the NMC panel had no choice but to remove Nurse Sharp from the NMC register.
He said: “The panel found that Patient A suffered direct unjustified harm and Patient B suffered an unjustified risk of harm as a result of Ms Sharp's misconduct. Ms Sharp's misconduct had breached the fundamental principles of the nursing profession and thereby discredited their reputation.
“The panel is of the view that Ms Sharp has not demonstrated any insight or remorse in relation to her actions, nor has she demonstrated any steps she has taken to strengthen her practice.”
They strongly believed that allowing her to continue to practice as a registered nurse would be of significant public concern.
The group noted that their actions were fundamentally inconsistent with the standards expected of a health professional and they lacked the necessary insight into their deficiencies.
In its findings, the court concluded that the charges were misconduct. The panel decided whether Ms Sharp's fitness to practice was affected as a result of her conduct.
An interim suspension order has been made, giving Nurse Sharp the opportunity to appeal the decision. However, if you do not appeal within 28 days of receiving the court's decision in writing, the suspension order will be replaced by a cancellation order.
This tragic incident serves as a stark reminder of the vital importance of accountability and patient safety within the healthcare industry.
Nurses, as frontline caregivers, have an enormous responsibility for the well-being and lives of their patients. It is crucial that they adhere to strict standards of practice and behavior to ensure the highest level of care.
Incidents like these not only have devastating consequences for patients and their families, but also tarnish the reputation of the nursing profession as a whole.
The trust and confidence that patients place in healthcare professionals should never be taken for granted. Maintaining the highest standards of professionalism, ethics, and patient-centered care is paramount to maintaining the integrity of the nursing profession.
Healthcare organizations should use this tragic incident as an opportunity to reassess and strengthen their systems and processes.
Sound medication administration protocols, improved training and education, and thorough supervision are essential to prevent similar errors in the future.
In addition, fostering a culture of open communication and reporting can encourage healthcare professionals to proactively speak up and address potential issues.
After such a devastating event, it is crucial that healthcare organizations prioritize transparency, accountability and patient-centered care.
Rebuilding trust and confidence in the nursing profession requires a concerted effort to ensure that incidents like this are thoroughly investigated and appropriate action is taken to prevent them from happening again.