Romanian nurse’s poor grasp of English ‘put patients at risk’
ANURSE who struggled to answer a 999 operator’s questions at a south Wales care home could place patients “at risk of harm” because of her poor grasp of English, a misconduct hearing was told.
Rodica Olteanu, 34, failed to answer questions in English to an emergency call handler when a patient was taken seriously ill.
But the hearing in Cardiff was told Romania-born Rodica was allowed to work at an NHS hospital despite not having the “necessary knowledge of English to practise safely”.
Her poor grasp of English was first noted while working at a nursing home when a resident became ill and needed immediate medical attention.
In March last year Olteanu was unable to answer a 999 call handler’s questions – and needed help from colleagues before confirming the patient’s life was at “immediate risk”.
Care workers without medical qualifications were forced to take over the phone call at Ty Gwynno nursing home in Pontypridd. The patient was later successfully treated at hospital.
Olteanu was ordered to undertake a paid-for International English Language Test System – but she refused to attend, claiming she couldn’t get time off after starting a new job.
She then got a job as a nurse at the University Hospital of North Midlands Trust in Stoke – but concerns were again raised about her language skills.
An internal assessment at the hospital gave her an English and mathematics score equivalent to that of a child aged nine to 11.
The hearing was told this led to her being removed from ward duties and she no longer works for the trust.
The hearing was told Olteanu – who did not attend her hearing – does not accept her English is below standard, saying no concerns had been raised before the 999 call.
David Newman, chairman of the Nursing and Midwifery Council panel sitting in Cardiff, said it was “more than likely” Olteanu’s lack of English “could place the public at risk of harm”.
He said the public would “remain at risk of harm” if Olteanu were to return to nursing in the UK, but decided against suspending her registration.
Mr Newman instead issued a conditions of practice order – meaning if she works in the UK she must do so under supervision until she passes a recognised English language test.