Nurse who told swine flu patient to take cough syrup struck off (From Southend Standard)
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Nurse who told swine flu patient to take cough syrup struck off
10:00am Wednesday 13th March 2013 in Echo News Exclusive By Jon Austin
A 20-YEAR old man died from swine flu and pneumonia on Boxing day after a senior nurse told him to go to the chemist instead of A&E.
Fadzai Jaravaza, 59, from Bridge Road, Wickford, will be struck off the nursing register after being found guilty of a string of professional misconduct charges by a Nursing and Midwifery Council fitness to practice panel.
Ms Jaravaza was a senior nurse advisor for NHS Direct Essex which takes telephone calls from the public and operators offer advice based on the symptoms described through a computer system.
The panel heard on Christmas Day 2010 she ignored advice from the system that he should go straight to A&E and instead told him to get cough syrup from the chemist and treat himself.
She took two phone calls from his mother and himself who both explained he suffered diarrhoea and vomiting for six days, including brown liquid, and described a chesty cough and discoloured mucous.
She was already being monitored by managers since March 2010 following a series of unsatisfactory calls.
The panel’s report of the hearing said: “On both occasions, Ms Jaravaza advised that Patient A should seek pharmacy advice and self-medicate.
The panel was informed that Patient A was admitted to hospital the following day, but sadly passed away later that day following a provisional diagnosis of pneumonia secondary to H1N1 influenza (Swine flu).
The report added: “There is evidence of lack of insight and a lack of engagement. Further, the panel considers that there is a real risk of repetition of Ms Jaravaza’s failings which could lead to patient harm.
It is the panel’s finding that a period of suspension would not be sufficient to protect patients. “The panel considers that a striking off order is the only sanction that is sufficient to protect patients and the public interest.
The seriousness of the case, including the number and wide-ranging nature of the incidents, is incompatible with ongoing registration.“
Ms Jaravaza, who worked for NHS Direct since 2001, claimed during the probe the probe the problems were down to changes with the system in 2009.
The then refused to cooperate and was not at the hearing in London. She was 28 days to appeal the decision before the strike off.
Comments(17)
whataday
says...
11:51am Wed 13 Mar 13
Not A Native
says...
12:06pm Wed 13 Mar 13
But it all worked out nicely for the management in the end - they got rid of their headache employee, and the small matter of a fatality won't trouble them as they get their next bonus.
Sean4u
says...
1:21pm Wed 13 Mar 13
I know a number of elderly nurses and ex-nurses who are almost militant in their refusal to accept computerisation in the NHS. It's not entirely their fault - many of them have witnessed and suffered first-hand from decades of incompetent and failed NHS IT projects. Presumably their managers and the IT projects don't suffer the same penalties if nurses use their own judgement and override a computerised suggestion in the patient's favour.
Baker-Boy
says...
1:47pm Wed 13 Mar 13
emcee
says...
1:58pm Wed 13 Mar 13
But, as usual, management find themselves in a highly paid, safe job, where they can conduct activities but cannot be touched should things go t*ts up.
John T Pharro
says...
3:21pm Wed 13 Mar 13
Probably he is good mates with the other "Sir" Fred the shred"
Both of these are supposed to be indispensable.
WhateverS
says...
7:39pm Wed 13 Mar 13
Sean4u wrote:Are you happy with this statement
"the problems were down to changes with the system"
I know a number of elderly nurses and ex-nurses who are almost militant in their refusal to accept computerisation in the NHS. It's not entirely their fault - many of them have witnessed and suffered first-hand from decades of incompetent and failed NHS IT projects. Presumably their managers and the IT projects don't suffer the same penalties if nurses use their own judgement and override a computerised suggestion in the patient's favour.
Are you sure!
T. W. a. T
WhateverS
says...
7:42pm Wed 13 Mar 13
WhateverS
says...
7:44pm Wed 13 Mar 13
Baker-Boy wrote:Are you happy with your statment
bad story in all im sure the woman was giving the best advice she could over the phone and the family have lost a loved one. everyone a victim in this story.
Are you sure
T. W. A. T
skinthegoat
says...
10:09am Thu 14 Mar 13
Not A Native
says...
10:12am Thu 14 Mar 13
skinthegoat wrote:And if you open up the message board to daft racists, you get daft, racist commentary.
If you import third-world people, you get third-world service......God help the NHS
skinthegoat
says...
11:36am Thu 14 Mar 13
Not A Native wrote:Ad hominem, the only argument the Left has on uncontrooled immigration.
skinthegoat wrote:And if you open up the message board to daft racists, you get daft, racist commentary.
If you import third-world people, you get third-world service......God help the NHS
I rest my case.
Not A Native
says...
11:47am Thu 14 Mar 13
skinthegoat wrote:Most of the truly great debaters would try to make a case before resting it. All I saw was some daft evidence-free assertion based on the most sweeping generalised assumption of how bad the world is outside our idyllic sceptred isle.
Not A Native wrote:Ad hominem, the only argument the Left has on uncontrooled immigration.
skinthegoat wrote:And if you open up the message board to daft racists, you get daft, racist commentary.
If you import third-world people, you get third-world service......God help the NHS
I rest my case.
And then the irony of claiming victimhood of an ad hominem attack whilst in the very same sentence attacking the messenger rather than anything of substance. Doublethink is the hallmark of a Daily Mail reader - I spotted one and claim my £5.
Baker-Boy
says...
1:22pm Thu 14 Mar 13
WhateverS wrote:every happy with the statement. no one gone out to kill anyone. human error is one of them things. the world keeps turning.
Baker-Boy wrote: bad story in all im sure the woman was giving the best advice she could over the phone and the family have lost a loved one. everyone a victim in this story.Are you happy with your statment Are you sure T. W. A. T
i look forward to your appology
skinthegoat
says...
3:43pm Thu 14 Mar 13
Not A Native wrote:Oogh, whose a clever (gender sensitive alert) person then.
skinthegoat wrote:Most of the truly great debaters would try to make a case before resting it. All I saw was some daft evidence-free assertion based on the most sweeping generalised assumption of how bad the world is outside our idyllic sceptred isle.
Not A Native wrote:Ad hominem, the only argument the Left has on uncontrooled immigration.
skinthegoat wrote:And if you open up the message board to daft racists, you get daft, racist commentary.
If you import third-world people, you get third-world service......God help the NHS
I rest my case.
And then the irony of claiming victimhood of an ad hominem attack whilst in the very same sentence attacking the messenger rather than anything of substance. Doublethink is the hallmark of a Daily Mail reader - I spotted one and claim my £5.
I am actually a racist inasmuch as support England for the English....and I read the Telegraph...of course if you don't like free speech, as you are "not a native "feel free to go back from whence you came....
Not A Native
says...
5:18pm Thu 14 Mar 13
If it pleases you for me to return to my birthplace, then I shall happily oblige and drive a few miles up the A12 and out of Essex. However I think they have much the same laws there, so I don't see the point. Perhaps you assumed I was born in another country, much as you have originally assumed that the nurse in the story was born elsewhere.
Not A Native says...
11:36am Wed 13 Mar 13
I guess the decision was that it would be too much fuss to relieve her of her duties before a patient offered his life up and made it easier for management.
Next time I call NHS direct for advice, I'm going to ask if whoever answers the phone has any blood on their hands.