Nurse Is Struck Off After Failing To Follow NMC Rules, UK

Main Category: Medical Malpractice / Litigation
Also Included In: Nursing / Midwifery
Article Date: 15 Apr 2008 - 2:00 PDT

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A registered nurse from a hospital in Poole has been struck off the register after failing to care for a patient properly.

Anne Margaret Brown, 33, was found guilty of breaking the Nursing & Midwifery Council's (NMC's) Code of conduct at a Conduct and Competence Committee hearing in London on Friday 4th April.

The independent panel heard that Brown failed to carry out regular blood checks on a patient in her care and also made inaccurate records of them. The incidents took place during Brown's nightshift on January 5th and 6th 2005.

The committee members also saw no evidence of any rehabilitative steps taken by Brown and were not provided with any relevant references or testimonials. It was also doubtful whether she had developed any real insight into her failings.

There were also concerns that there might be serious risk to patients in the future if Brown remained on the register and that the confidence of the NMC would be seriously undermined if she was not struck off.

The committee did hear that Brown was under pressure at the time and it did have some concerns about the support provided by the hospital where she worked but the decision was still made to strike Brown from the register.

NMC spokesperson, Colin Joseph, said: "Brown was in breach of the NMC Code of conduct and her actions fell below the standards expected of a registered nurse. The NMC is satisfied that a striking off order is a necessary and proportionate sanction, both in the interests of public protection and in the public interest generally."

Notes

1. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is the UK regulator for two professions, nursing and midwifery. The primary purpose of the NMC is protection of the public. It does this through maintaining a register of all nurses, midwives and specialist community public health nurses eligible to practise within the UK and by setting standards for their education, training and conduct. Currently the number of registrants exceeds 674,000. The Nursing and Midwifery Order 2001 (The Order), sets out the NMC's role and responsibilities.

Nursing and Midwifery Council