A NURSE has been suspended for six months after she failed to administer medicine to a patient while working at Broomfield Hospital.

Nurse Tecla Munjodzi was called in front of the nursing and midwifery council, fitness to practise committee accused of misconduct.

A three-day hearing at the start of April concluded with Munjodzi being handed a six month suspension.

The hearing related to her actions while working on the Goldhanger Ward at Broomfield Hospital as an agency nurse.

It was claimed that on October 4 2017 that Munjodzi was responsible for nine patients, one of which was prescribed Tazocin, an intravenous antibiotic medication.

At 6pm, the patient’s family raised concern the patient had not been administered the dose at 2pm.

The patient’s MAR chart had two signatures indicated the medicine had been administrated and checked, but the family claimed this was “impossible” because they had been in the patient’s room since 11am.

Munjodzi claimed she had given the medicine, and a fellow nurse had countersigned.

An initial investigation found no other nurse had provided the signature, before Munjodzi admitted she signed for the medicine, but did not give it, as well as forging the countersignature.

The panel concluded that: “The panel further considered whether a striking-off order would be proportionate in your case.

“Taking account of all the information before it, and all the mitigation provided to the panel on your behalf, the panel concluded that it would be disproportionate because the public can be adequately protected and the public interest adequately addressed by a suspension order with a review.

“Whilst the panel acknowledges that a suspension may have a punitive effect, it would be unduly punitive in your case to impose a striking off order.

“Balancing all of these factors the panel has concluded that a suspension order would be the appropriate and proportionate sanction.”