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B.C. nurse suspended for medication handling practices

A Pitt Meadows nurse has been suspended for two weeks over issues around benzodiazepine and sedative/hypnotic medication handling.
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A Pitt Meadows nurse has been suspended for mishandling of medication.

A Pitt Meadows nurse has been suspended for two weeks over issues around benzodiazepine and sedative/hypnotic medication handling.

On May 10, a college panel of the inquiry approved a consent agreement between the college and the registered nurse.

The agreement was to address practice issues that occurred on or around May to August 2021; the issues stemmed from not following proper policy and procedure when it came to her withdrawal, handling, administration and documentation of several benzodiazepine and sedative/hypnotic medications, the college said in a discipline notice.

The nurse voluntarily agreed to:

  • the suspension of her nursing registration for two weeks;
  • a limit prohibiting her from working over and above their defined shift schedule for three months;
  • a restriction from mentoring staff and;
  • monthly medication audit for six months.

The college also requires the nurse to do remedial education in medication administration and ethics, a pharmacological review of certain benzodiazepines and sedative/hypnotic medications and a regulatory practice consulting program to address issues in the agreement.

“The inquiry committee is satisfied that the terms will protect the public,” the notice said.

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