BABY NURSE BARRED
He is not allowed to work with newborn babies after taking poorly tots out of incubators
A NURSE has been barred from working on wards with newborn babies for two years after he removed tots with extremely low oxygen levels from their incubators.
Paul Devine admitted his care had been “extremely subpar” as he worked in neonatal wards across Scotland, including at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.
The health worker – registered as a nurse for more than 20 years – appeared before the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) earlier this month to test if he could return to work after a year’s suspension.
Devine was suspended after he admitted removing two newborn babies from incubators and failing to recognise their oxygen saturation levels had dropped.
Around the same time Devine switched off a “red urgent” alarm on a third baby’s heart rate and oxygen monitor – ignoring that its oxygen levels were dropping.
In all three incidents, between April and August 2017, the NMC said the babies “required urgent attention”.
Following the incidents Devine, of Bonnyrigg in Midlothian, was put on an HR-mandated course by NHS bosses to ensure he was safe to work with newborns. He failed to demonstrate to his managers he could provide “safe, effective” care.
As a result, the NMC suspended him from nursing work for a year but said it was now willing to give him a chance to prove he can work safely in such roles again.
After a review earlier this month, the regulator chose to bar Devine from work on neonatal wards only.
The NMC has also prohibited him from working for any external agencies, and to require a senior nurse to supervise him at all times.
In its final summary, it acknowledged that the nurse had “demonstrated remorse” and “good insight” into his actions in the past.
The watchdog told Devine: “You have acknowledged your mistakes and explained how you have learnt from this experience.
“The panel was of the view that concerns identified are remediable, but you need to show you are able to address the regulatory concerns and practise safely for a period of time.”
Devine has not worked in nursing since his suspension and told the panel he now works in a care home specialising in dementia care.
He told the hearing his care had been “extremely subpar” and that neonatal care had not been “a good fit” for him.
The Record contacted Devine for comment. NHS Lothian was also contacted for comment.
You need to show you are able to practise safely
OUTLINES DEVINE’S NEXT STEPS