This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/nov/14/ebola-nurse-donna-wood-pauline-cafferkey-temperature-reading-misconduct-charges

The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Nurse may be struck off over Pauline Cafferkey temperature reading Nurse may be struck off over Pauline Cafferkey temperature reading
(35 minutes later)
A British medic who helped fight the spread of Ebola in Sierra Leone two years ago faces being struck off or suspended from nursing after allegedly misleading doctors about colleague Pauline Cafferkey, the Scottish nurse who nearly died twice from the virus. A British medic who helped fight the spread of Ebola in Sierra Leone two years ago faces being struck off or suspended from nursing after allegedly misleading doctors about her colleague Pauline Cafferkey, the Scottish nurse who nearly died twice from the virus.
Donna Wood, a senior sister with more than 30 years of experience, is accused of failing to record the elevated temperature of Cafferkey when she arrived at Heathrow from west Africa on 28 December 2014. Donna Wood, a senior sister with more than 30 years’ experience, is accused of failing to record Cafferkey’s elevated temperature when she arrived at Heathrow from west Africa on 28 December 2014.
A raised temperature can be the first sign of Ebola fever, and Cafferkey went on to develop one of the worst cases on record for people treated in a western setting. A raised temperature can be the first sign of Ebola fever, and Cafferkey went on to develop one of the worst cases on record for people treated in the west.
On Monday, Wood faced three misconduct charges over the botched screening at the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) in Stratford, east London. At the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) in Stratford, east London, on Monday, Wood faced three misconduct charges over the botched screening.
She allegedly recorded a temperature 1C lower than it actually was during a screening process at Heathrow, was “dishonest” because she knew this was wrong, and failed to appropriately escalate the potential marker for Ebola. She allegedly recorded a temperature 1C lower than it actually was during a screening process at Heathrow, was “dishonest” because she knew this was wrong and failed to escalate the potential marker for Ebola appropriately.
Opening the hearing, the case presenter, Aja Hall, told an NMC panel that Cafferkey’s temperature had been taken by a volunteer colleague, Hannah Ryan, a doctor who had returned from Sierra Leone with Wood and Cafferkey.Opening the hearing, the case presenter, Aja Hall, told an NMC panel that Cafferkey’s temperature had been taken by a volunteer colleague, Hannah Ryan, a doctor who had returned from Sierra Leone with Wood and Cafferkey.
The first reading from her left ear was 38.2C, above the average body temperature of 37C and higher than the threshold of 37.5C that requires further assessment by a consultant in infectious diseases.The first reading from her left ear was 38.2C, above the average body temperature of 37C and higher than the threshold of 37.5C that requires further assessment by a consultant in infectious diseases.
Ryan had stated that she was in “shock” after taking Cafferkey’s temperature in her left and right ears and finding it was raised, Hall said. “I told her to stay calm, we were both a bit panicky,” said Ryan. Ryan had stated that she was in “shock” after taking Cafferkey’s temperature in her left and right ears and finding it raised, Hall said. “I told her to stay calm, we were both a bit panicky,” said Ryan.
The hearing heard that an elevated temperature was considered to be the first reaction in the body to Ebola, which can kill within five days. The hearing was told that an elevated temperature was considered the body’s first reaction to Ebola, which can kill within five days.
“I asked Pauline if she was feeling okay? She said she was feeling fine,” Ryan told the hearing in a written witness statement. “I stood there in shock. It was like I was paralysed. I had no clear thought process. Ebola is such a horrible disease that every time you have a high temperature you worry, even when you know there’s no reason to.”“I asked Pauline if she was feeling okay? She said she was feeling fine,” Ryan told the hearing in a written witness statement. “I stood there in shock. It was like I was paralysed. I had no clear thought process. Ebola is such a horrible disease that every time you have a high temperature you worry, even when you know there’s no reason to.”
Ryan said only the three medics were present and that Wood “broke the inertia by saying something like ‘I’m just going to write it down as 37.2 degrees’” and that she also said this was so they could “get out of here and sort it out”. Ryan said only the three medics were present and that Wood “broke the inertia by saying something like ‘I’m just going to write it down as 37.2 degrees’” so they could “get out of here and sort it out”.
The three medics had returned to a screening area described by various witnesses as “busy dangerous and even chaotic by some of those present”, Hall said. The three medics had returned to a screening area described by various witnesses as “busy, dangerous and even chaotic by some of those present”, Hall said.
They had been asked to fill in a Public Health England form and wait to have their temperature taken by a PHE medic. Amid the chaos, they decided to record their own temperatures, the hearing heard. They had been asked to fill in a Public Health England form and wait for a PHE medic to taket their temperature. Amid the chaos, they decided to record their own temperatures, the hearing heard.
Cafferkey was subsequently allowed leave the PHE screening area and enter the arrivals section because her form did not state her temperature was above 38C. At some point Cafferkey had taken paracetamol, the NMC panel heard. Cafferkey was subsequently allowed leave the PHE screening area and enter the arrivals section because her form did not state that her temperature was above 38C. At some point Cafferkey had taken paracetamol, the NMC panel heard.
Meanwhile, Ryan informed a second PHE doctor, Dr Sharon Irvine, another volunteer doctor returning from Sierra Leone, who questioned Cafferkey about her temperature in the arrivals hall and advised that she should not proceed with the onward flight to Glasgow. Ryan meanwhile informed Dr Sharon Irvine, another volunteer doctor returning from Sierra Leone. Irvine questioned Cafferkey about her temperature in the arrivals hall and advised her not to proceed with her onward flight to Glasgow.
Cafferkey was then returned to the screening area where her temperature was taken three further times at 15-minute intervals. Only one of those readings was above the threshold of 37.5C and she was allowed to fly home.Cafferkey was then returned to the screening area where her temperature was taken three further times at 15-minute intervals. Only one of those readings was above the threshold of 37.5C and she was allowed to fly home.
That night Cafferkey fell seriously ill and it later emerged that she had one of the highest Ebola virus loads on record.That night Cafferkey fell seriously ill and it later emerged that she had one of the highest Ebola virus loads on record.
The NMC claims that Wood’s “fitness to practice is impaired by reason of your misconduct”. Wood’s counsel, Ben Rich, denied the charges on her behalf.The NMC claims that Wood’s “fitness to practice is impaired by reason of your misconduct”. Wood’s counsel, Ben Rich, denied the charges on her behalf.
The hearing heard that Cafferkey had remarked that she had felt “warm” on the plane home, but later said she had said that “as a joke”. The group of volunteers on the plane with her, including Wood, had “ascribed it to her sleeping in a hoodie on the plane”. The hearing heard that Cafferkey had remarked that she had felt warm on the plane home, but later said she had said that as a joke. The group of volunteers on the plane with her, including Wood, had “ascribed it to her sleeping in a hoodie on the plane”.
The hearing heard that some weeks later, Wood had written in an email to PHE that “Pauline Cafferkey said to me she had woken on the plane … and she had said she felt very hot and she did not mention having a fever”.The hearing heard that some weeks later, Wood had written in an email to PHE that “Pauline Cafferkey said to me she had woken on the plane … and she had said she felt very hot and she did not mention having a fever”.
In 2014, Wood, who works at Haywood hospital in Burnslem, Staffordshire, was the face of the government’s campaign to get volunteers to work in Sierra Leone to help stop the spread of the worst Ebola outbreak in history.In 2014, Wood, who works at Haywood hospital in Burnslem, Staffordshire, was the face of the government’s campaign to get volunteers to work in Sierra Leone to help stop the spread of the worst Ebola outbreak in history.
The then international development secretary, Justine Greening, said at the time: “These NHS heroes, like Donna, spending Christmas on the Ebola treatment wards are an absolutely essential part of our efforts to contain, control and defeat this terrible disease.”The then international development secretary, Justine Greening, said at the time: “These NHS heroes, like Donna, spending Christmas on the Ebola treatment wards are an absolutely essential part of our efforts to contain, control and defeat this terrible disease.”
The misconduct hearing, which is scheduled to last until 25 November, continues.The misconduct hearing, which is scheduled to last until 25 November, continues.