A nurse in a south Dublin care home failed to administer critical medication to a resident and inaccurately recorded the time of death of another, a fitness-to-practise hearing has heard.
The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) inquiry heard Sicelokuhle Mangena, a registered nurse, failed on three occasions in November 2022 and on two occasions in December 2022 to administer prescribed Aranesp medication, used to treat low red blood cell counts, to Resident A, who had anaemia.
Ms Mangena was employed as a staff nurse at Mount Tabor Care Centre and Nursing Home in Sandymount when the allegations, to which she has admitted to, occurred.
The inquiry was also told on Tuesday that Ms Mangena failed to record that the medication was not administered on those dates.
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A report by consultant haematologist at St Vincent’s hospital Prof Kamal Fadalla said blood tests carried out in January 2023 indicated Resident A’s haemoglobin, or red blood cell, count had dropped to such an extent as to subsequently require a transfusion of one unit of blood.
Prof Fadalla, who was “deeply annoyed”, said this would have been unnecessary if Resident A had received the Aranesp injections in late 2022.
He told Resident A’s GP this was “a very significant and serious error”.
The inquiry also heard that Ms Mangena wrongly recorded the time of death of another resident of the care centre, Resident E, who was receiving palliative care in February 2023.
The resident died at 11.45pm on February 22nd. However Ms Mangena told a doctor that the resident had died at 12.15am on February 23rd. Further, Ms Mangena, who was on the night shift, wrote on the handover note that the resident had died at 12.45am.
She later told staff at the care centre the mistakes had been made because she was tired.
The inquiry also heard that Ms Mangena, on or around November 26th, 2022, incorrectly recorded that she had administered Bisolvon oral solution, a cough syrup, to another resident, Resident B, when Ms Mangena knew, or ought to have known, she did not administer the medication as it was out of stock.
Ms Mangena was also said to have failed, on or around February 15th, 2023, to administer a a BuTrans patch for pain relief to a Resident C and/or failed to record adequately, or at all, the application of the BuTrans patch.
On or around February 17th, 2023, in respect of a Resident D, the inquiry heard Ms Mangena recorded that ibandronic acid, a treatment to prevent symptoms caused by cancer affecting the bone, was “not available” when Ms Mangena knew or ought to have known that this was not the case.
Tom Cochrane, solicitor appearing for Ms Mangena, said she was willing to give an undertaking she would not repeat her conduct, consent to censure and complete a legal and ethics course.
However, John O’Regan, barrister for the chief executive of the NMBI, said there was a pattern of behaviour involved and due to the seriousness of the errors an undertaking was not an appropriate form of sanction.
Des O’Neill, a member of the fitness-to-practise subcommittee, asked Mr Cochrane if he had any documentation to back up his contention that Ms Mangena had not been the subject of any complaints since beginning her employment in another care centre in 2023.
In order to allow Ms Mangena an opportunity to provide such documentary or oral evidence as to her history of employment in this other care centre, the NMBI agreed to adjourn the inquiry until October 9th.
