Nurse gave chemotherapy to wrong person because two patients had ‘similar sounding surnames’
Lucy Joyce's blunder was only noticed when a colleague realised there was a mix up, tribunal hears
A NURSE gave chemotherapy to the wrong person because two cancer patients had "similar sounding names", a tribunal has heard.
Lucy Joyce's blunder was only noticed when a colleague realised there was a mix up and stopped it.
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) heard it was among a handful mistakes Joyce committed when administering chemotherapy.
She is also accused of not giving "pre-hydration" medication to two other patients - increasing the toxicity of the powerful treatment.
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And a fourth person was given two different drugs within an hour of each other, despite medical guidance warning not to.
The incidents are said to have occurred between May 2013 and May 2015 at Leicester Royal Infirmary.
Bryony Dongray, for the NMC, described how two unnamed patients were bought into the treatment room.
"The patients had the same first name and similar sounding surnames and Patient B was brought in error.
"Identification checks were not made properly by the registrant, this was an other error.
"Chemotherapy treatment meant for Patient B was given to Patient A, another nurse realised what was happening and stopped it. Luckily no harm came to either patient."
Joyce, who is present at the hearing, admits to the charges but denies her fitness to practice is currently impaired.
The hearing, in central London, is due to conclude tomorrow.
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