'Wrong' woman given abortion after nurse 'mixed up two patients' first names'

Floh

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The wrong woman was given a chemical abortion tablet after a nurse mixed up two patients with the same first name, a misconduct hearing heard today.
Ann Downer gave the drug to the woman who had only gone into her clinic for an initial consultation.
She had not decided to have a termination when the nurse gave her the drug.


More: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...iven-abortion-nurse-mixed-patients-names.html

Tragic. :(

a mistake over a FIRST NAME?

give strength! :furious::furious::furious:

The misconduct panel ruled that Downer did not obtain the woman's consent to give her the abortion drug but she will be allowed to carry on practicing as a nurse with a three-year caution order after it was found to be an 'isolated incident'.

NO! she should be struck off!

she expressed regret? oh. ok. :rolleyes:
 
If the woman was there only for a consultation, why would she take any pill a nurse hands out? :confused: If the answer to that is in the article, I wouldn't know because the link won't work for me. (Could be me!)

ETA: Never mind, got it to work. Still asking my question though.
 
If the woman was there only for a consultation, why would she take any pill a nurse hands out? :confused: If the answer to that is in the article, I wouldn't know because the link won't work for me. (Could be me!)

ETA: Never mind, got it to work. Still asking my question though.

Maybe because she was trusting and uneducated? i don't know.
 
Hmm, you might be on to something. Could be why she was pregnant too.
 
Umm, shouldn't she be charged with murder??
Not to get into the abortion debate but if this woman was pregnant and the nurse killed the fetus....seems like some jail time is in order.
 
Seems like a rather serious mistake to me. Oops? Gave the wrong patient the meds? She's lucky the patient didn't die, and only the fetus did.
 
Do nurses that give the wrong med in other cases (like heparin to those babies) get criminally charged? I say it should all be the same, but this happened in the UK and I have no idea what their laws are.
 
Do nurses that give the wrong med in other cases (like heparin to those babies) get criminally charged? I say it should all be the same, but this happened in the UK and I have no idea what their laws are.

They can lose their licences if it's proven they were criminally negligent, in the U.S.
 
I have heard of nurses being jailed too for wrong doing and a hefty fine.

But I also agree why would a patient take a med if they were only there for consult? Don't make sense?
 
Umm, shouldn't she be charged with murder??
Not to get into the abortion debate but if this woman was pregnant and the nurse killed the fetus....seems like some jail time is in order.

I agree. The woman was distraught when she realised what happened. She already loved and had bonded with her unborn baby. This would have been devastating.
 
:furious: This nurse will be allowed to continue to work in her field?

At the very least a suspension for a few months would have been in order. IMO

Are there no consequences for wrongdoing anymore?
:waitasec:
 
:furious: This nurse will be allowed to continue to work in her field?

At the very least a suspension for a few months would have been in order. IMO

Are there no consequences for wrongdoing anymore?
:waitasec:

Um, no. Aren't you paying attention here? ;)

That's why we're all so pissed off!

Seriously, though, ITA with you. This woman is a danger to others. She should not be allowed to practice medicine, if only temporarily so she can realize the gravity of her "mistake."
 
I have to say I don't think that would happen in the US.
I know we've had cases here where drs removed the wrong limb, etc.
But imo it would be hard to confuse abortion with another procedure.
 
I have to say I don't think that would happen in the US.
I know we've had cases here where drs removed the wrong limb, etc.
But imo it would be hard to confuse abortion with another procedure.

No it wouldn't because of law suits. of which i would totally agree with in a case such as this.
 
I have to say I don't think that would happen in the US.
I know we've had cases here where drs removed the wrong limb, etc.
But imo it would be hard to confuse abortion with another procedure.

I respectfully disagree :)

I think it could happen here. It was the abortion pill, not the surgical procedure.
 
I think it would happen in Florida...which is where I hear the news reports about the wrong limbs removed, accidental HIV-tainted infusions, name switches, etc.
 
I completely agree that this nurse should be getting more than a little slap on the wrist, but I have to disagree with the poster who said the woman already loved and bonded with the baby. IMO she would not have been at that clinic if this were the case.
 
I respectfully disagree :)

I think it could happen here. It was the abortion pill, not the surgical procedure.

I understand your POV. :)
I always think our hospitals are on the ball with medications, precedures, etc then I remember what happened to all the babies given the incorrect amt of blood thiners. :confused:
 

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