Nurse facing 15 accusations after 'mistreatment' of elderly patients

A STAFF nurse is facing a catalogue of serious allegations surrounding his care and treatment of geriatric patients at a leading Scottish hospital for the care of the elderly.

Nicanor Sindanum has been ordered to appear before a hearing of the Conduct and Competence Committee of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NWC) to answer a total of 15 complaints relating to his employment as a Grade D staff nurse at Woodend Hospital in Aberdeen, a hospital which specialises in the care and treatment of elderly patients.

The allegations include claims that he gave a patient a month's supply of a cancer treatment drug in just one week, gave another patient a salt cellar instead of an inhaler, and continued to feed an elderly patient who was already choking.

The allegations against the nurse, who is no longer employed by the local health authority, NHS Grampian, cover a period of almost two years - from October 2006 to January 2008. And it is claimed that Mr Sindanum's fitness to practise has been impaired through his alleged misconduct as a result of the cumulative failings.

Mr Sindanum is due to answer the complaints made against him at a hearing in London scheduled for 20 September.

He is accused of administering the incorrect amount of Methotrexate, a cancer treatment drug, to a patient in September, 2007, by giving the patient a 17.5 milligram tablet of the drug on a daily basis instead of one 17.5 milligram tablet once per week.

Another complaint alleges that in December 2007, he failed to properly administer medication to another patient by giving the elderly woman a salt cellar instead of an inhaler. It is further alleged that, in relation to the same patient, he failed to correctly record what medication had been given to her and retrospectively altered an entry in the patient's Kardex medical record and that his actions amounted to dishonesty.

Mr Sindanum is also accused of washing a severely ill patient in December 2007, when he should not have, given the condition of the patient. A month previously he is alleged to have failed to realise that a patient's oxygen saturation level was low. He is also accused of failing to provide the patient with oxygen treatment through a recovery mask and falling to contact a senior member of the medical staff in relation to the patient's clinical condition.

On 4 November, 2007, he is accused of failing to stop feeding a patient who was choking, despite being requested to do so by two members of staff.

Five of the 15 complaints relate to alleged incidents at the hospital in January 2008. Mr Sindanum is accused of attempting to move one patient with only a stand aid when the patient's risk assessment stated that a full body hoist was needed.

George Thomson, the chairman of the Grampian Senior Citizens' Forum, said: "I would have thought there would have been more checks and balances on these things. If the NWC has been aware of it since 2008 it certainly should have come to light long before now surely."But a spokesman for the NWC said it was not unusual for cases to take time to be considered by the council.