Nurse suspended after Matthew Simmonds' ventilator death

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-34580673

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A nurse who admitted contributing to the death of a patient has been suspended for three months.

Kadiatu Harris was caring for Matthew Simmonds, 39, at his Hampshire home where he died on 6 July 2011.

His ventilator, which should have been switched over on a shift change with another nurse, was turned off.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council misconduct hearing said it was satisfied her actions "would be viewed as deplorable by fellow practitioners".

The council was also told of four separate occasions at Poole Hospital where Ms Harris gave patients the wrong drug or the wrong dose in the preceding years,

While being signed off sick, she worked agency shifts for Wimbourne Nursing Agency.

The council heard of her "multiple medication errors" and "serious acts of dishonesty on a repeated basis".

However, it said she had learned from her experience, received training and there was little risk of her repeating her actions.

It also took into account the fact that she had referred herself to the council, paid back the money she had earned dishonestly and showed remorse.

Mr Simmonds, from Chandlers Ford, was suffering from von Hippel-Lindau disease - a genetic form of cancer.

Ms Harris admitted to failing to ensure that his ventilator equipment had been correctly changed during handover or was functioning correctly.

She also admitted her actions "caused the death... and/or contributed to the death... and/or reduced Patient B's chances of survival".

A coroner's inquest in Winchester in 2014 found the errors did not amount to gross failure, which would be necessary for a case of neglect.

The suspension will be reviewed when it ends next year.

A police investigation had not led to the CPS prosecuting either Ms Harris or the nurse she had taken over from, Ms Harris' lawyer told the hearing.