A CROSSHOUSE nurse has been struck off after committing a catalogue of more than 1,000 blunders Jacqueline Young made 1,002 medical mistakes, including falsifying records by faking a colleague’s initials, failing to adhere to proper infection control methods, and not following procedure when giving medicine.

According to the Nursing and Midwifery Council Young also showed a worrying “lack of concern for patient saftey and lack of respect for patients and relatives.” An initial red flag was raised about Young way back in 2006, but hospital chiefs didn’t take action until 2010 when she was put her on a supported improvement plan while working on the Acute Stroke Ward at Crosshouse Hospital.

However, a year later, after no improvements were noted, she was moved to Ayr Hospital and put under the supervision of a mentor.

It was here that the first incident of serious concern arose on August 8, 2011, whereby Young administered the wrong dose of the medication, Alteplase to a patient, causing an overdose. The patient died days later.

Young said she was competent to lead the thrombolysis assessment and treatment of the patient.

The dose of Alteplase is weight dependant and the patient had been weighed on arrival to the ward on floor scales.

Young told a colleague that the patient had been weighed on a bed. However, the patient had in fact been weighed on a trolley. This error resulted in the patient’s weight being inaccurately recorded and an overdose of Altepase being administered on the basis of the incorrect calculation After treatment the patient initially made a good recovery. However, his condition deteriorated overnight when he developed a brain haemorrhage. He died on 13 August 2011 although it is unknown whether or not there was a link between the patient’s death and the overdose administered by Young.

As a consequence of this Young was moved out of that ward on and into the general ward with a view to enhancing her clinical skills.

But her shocking errors continued when in just 13 shifts there were 129 documented clinical incidents noted. As a result Young’s caseload was reduced from eight patients to four and she was not allowed to practice unsupervised.

But then between February 22, 2012 and April 24, 2012 over the course of 26 shifts a further 354 issues of concern were raised.

And from May, 3 2012 to July 11, 2012, over the course of 16 shifts a further 232 issues were raised and Young’s caseload of patients was reduced from four to two.

But incredibly it didn’t end there when between July 17, 2012 and August 22, 2012 during 17 shifts, 287 further areas of concern were raised some of which had the potential to compromise patient safety.

Young had been a registered nurse for almost 25 years before she resigned in August 2012 after making an astonishing 1,002 blunders inside 72 shifts. Her nursing registration was suspended in 2013.

At a follow-up Nursing and Midwifery Council hearing in Edinburgh last week, Young failed to attend, but the hearing was told Young had sent a letter pleading to keep her nursing registration so she could work in a non-clinical role.

The NMC misconduct and lack of competence hearing found there was no option but to remove Young from the nursing register and she was struck off.

Their reports found: “That panel was of the view that other professionals would regard Mrs Young’s actions as deplorable.” In a written statement sent to the NMC on July 30, 2014 Young said: “I am truly sorry that my patients were put at risk and that I caused my colleagues to be concerned through my inability to administer care to the standard required.” Despite the shocking evidence, health bosses at NHS Ayrshire and Arran have offered no explanation as to why Young was allowed to practise for so long before she was eventually removed.

Ann Gow, Interim Nurse Director said: “We cannot comment on any specific case, however NHS Ayrshire and Arran’s first priority is to the safety of patients and service users.

“If staff are found to be in need of development, we will review any possible risk to the public and put an appropriate supported development plan in place.

“If at any point we feel there is a risk to patient safety, we will refer the staff member to the regulator and take appropriate action locally to reduce risk to patients.”