An Ayrshire care home resident who fell and fractured his hip was left in his room for two and a half hours before an ambulance was called.
The incident took place Torrance Lodge Care Home in Riccarton Road, Hurlford, and has led to an East Ayrshire-based nurse facing misconduct charges.
According to the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) registered adult nurse, Noreen Thomson, did not “appropriately manage” the incident.
Evidence was submitted claiming that Thomson instructed two care assistants to move the injured resident back to his room after his fall because “this had happened before” and “there was nothing wrong with him.”
Thomson, it was said, also failed to record the fall in an incident report form.
And when a second resident fell months later, Thomson again failed to record it in the care home’s Case Management System.
Details of the incidents were revealed by the NMC, who launched an investigation into the events which took place in March and July 2020.
According to the NMC, Thomson’s fitness to practise was impaired by way of “misconduct.”
Admitting the charges, Thomson stated that a “stressful work situation” was one of the “triggers” for the way she behaved.
In terms of the first resident’s fall, which took place on March 15, 2020 at 5.45pm, Thomson failed to contact the emergency services.
It was only when another nurse, who had started their shift, that the emergency call was made.
That call was made at 8.15pm — a full two and a half hours later.
The NMC said: “On March 15, 2020 around 5.45pm a resident fell and fractured their hip. You (Thomson) did not contact the emergency services and therefore this was not done until 2015 hours, when another nurse came on shift.
“Also, you failed to complete the required incident forms in relation to the resident’s fall in a timely manner.”
At a virtual hearing of the NMC’s Fitness to Practise Committee, members were told Thomson’s actions fell “significantly short” of the standards expected of a registered nurse.
According to the panel Thomson’s actions “caused harm” because the patient did not receive “timely medical treatment” or “pain relief” for his fractured hip.
In her favour, the panel noted that Thomson “fully engaged” with the NMC, had written a “reflective piece” on what led to her misconduct, she had embarked on extensive training in falls prevention, documentation and record-keeping since the incidents and is now a ‘Falls Champion’ and “teaching others.”
However, the NMC said Thomson had not “adequately demonstrated” full insight into the seriousness of her actions, or the steps that she would take to avoid a recurrence of her “failings” in the future.
They also pointed out that, as result of her actions one resident “suffered harm” and the other resident was “placed in an unwarranted risk of harm.”
However, the NMC stopped short of a striking off order and instead imposed a Conditions of Practice Order on Thomson’s registration for 18 months — with a review after nine months.
The NMC added: “The panel was of the view that to impose a suspension order, or a striking-off order would be wholly disproportionate and would not be a reasonable response in the circumstances. There is no evidence of harmful deep-seated personality or attitudinal problems and there is no evidence of repetition of behaviour since the incident.”
Torrance Lodge Care Home did not respond to an Ayrshire Live request for a comment.
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