NMBI Investigates Nurse Over Alleged Fake Prescriptions Issued Using Doctors’ Seals
Dublin: The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) has launched an investigation into a nurse accused of preparing and signing prescriptions using doctors’ seals without their authorisation while working at a GP clinic in the north-east of Ireland.
The case concerns alleged breaches of professional conduct and professional misconduct. The Professional Ethics Committee has prohibited the publication of the names of the nurse, witnesses and the clinic involved. The matter will be considered again at a later hearing to allow the nurse to provide a full statement.
At a hearing on Friday, the committee considered five charges against the nurse, including allegations that the person prepared and signed prescriptions for patients and self using doctors’ seals.
The principal allegation relates to two prescriptions allegedly prepared and signed by the nurse on December 29, 2023, for two patients. The prescriptions included Prolia, a medication used to treat osteoporosis, and Saxenda, which is prescribed for weight management. A doctor’s seal belonging to a GP at the clinic was allegedly used on the prescriptions.
Another doctor at the clinic reportedly became aware of the incident and asked the nurse to explain what had happened. When confronted with the seriousness of the alleged breach, the nurse reportedly said, had signed the prescriptions without realising it, attributing the incident to a particularly busy day.
A further allegation concerns a prescription dated December 11, 2023, for Solpadeine painkillers and esomeprazole, a medication used to reduce stomach acid, which was allegedly issued in the nurse’s own name.
On December 21, another prescription was allegedly prepared for 64 Solpadeine tablets and signed using a different doctor’s seal. The charges also include an alleged prescription prepared on November 24, 2023, for another patient, containing Deltacortril, a steroid medication, and Nexium, which is used to treat conditions including acid reflux.
Three doctors from the clinic told the committee that they had not signed any of the prescriptions in question.
Eoghan O’Sullivan, the lawyer representing the NMBI, said that during a meeting on January 3, 2024, the nurse admitted signing two prescriptions dated December 29. He also told the committee that the person resigned during that meeting and submitted a resignation letter as evidence.
However, Brendan Savage, the lawyer representing the nurse, said his client’s position had been dismissed from the employment. He added that the person admitted signing the Solpadeine prescriptions and acknowledged that doing so amounted to serious professional misconduct.
Regarding the two prescriptions dated December 29, the nurse accepts that the person had signed them but maintains that did not prepare them.
In the initial response to the NMBI, said I could not understand why I had signed the prescriptions, particularly given my 25 years of professional experience. The person also acknowledged that the person was familiar with the procedures followed at the GP clinic and expressed regret over the incident.
The nurse, who was first registered in 2002, worked at the clinic from September 2023 until January 2024. The investigation will continue at a later hearing.
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