Nurse who took opiates and marijuana while on duty suspended for 12 months

Inquiry hears nurse suffered from depression and anxiety

A nurse who took opiates and marijuana while on night duty in a hospital has been suspended from the nursing register for 12 months.

The nurse in question, who worked outside of Dublin, cannot be identified for legal reasons.

She admitted allegations of professional misconduct following an investigation into allegations against her conducted by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland.

The complaints made against her included that when she was on duty on dates between 2015 and 2016 she self-administered various medications while on night duty at the hospital. The substances she took including opiates, marijuana and benzodiazepines, commonly known as ‘benzos’.

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It was also alleged that she was not in a fit state or safe condition to provide safe nursing care.

Other allegations of professional misconduct included that while on night duty at the hospital she had in her handbag, without any authority, medication that had come from the hospital or had been brought to the hospital by patients.

She had not been prescribed the medication, it was further alleged.

Arising out of the investigation into those complaints the nursing board's Fitness to Practice Committee found that her conduct was dishonest, that she had put patient safety at risk, violated her duty of care to patients and brought the profession's reputation into disrepute.

The FTP committee held that the nurse should be suspended from the register for a period of 12 months. The board, accepted and took into account in its decision that the woman suffers from a medical disability, namely depression and anxiety.

In addition to her 12-month suspension the woman must comply with several conditions imposed by the board if she wants to return to work as a nurse.

These include providing the board with medical reports from her treating doctors, whom she must attend on a regular basis.

She must also provide the board with the results of drug tests she undergoes.

She must further provide the board with a report from a consultant psychiatrist confirming that she is fit to return to work.

The matter came before Mr Justice Denis McDonald recently, who following an application by solicitor JP McDowell, for the Board, confirmed the sanctions.

The application to the court was not contested by the nurse.