Royal Blackburn Hospital nurse struck off over giving morphine to patients

Amanda Callon worked at the Royal Blackburn Hospital in Lancashire

A nurse who administered morphine to patients without assessment or appropriate prescription has been struck off.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) ruled Amanda Jane Callon, who worked at the Royal Blackburn Hospital, had put patients at risk of harm.

It found such actions were likely to be repeated in future due to her "apparent lack of remorse or remediation".

The NMC said she had not "demonstrated proper professional standards".

Miss Callon, who worked as a nurse for almost 20 years and had an "unblemished career", was referred to the NMC on 27 August 2019 by the East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust.

It followed concerns raised by a colleague that a patient, allegedly under Miss Callon's care, had received a dose of injectable morphine on 28 July 2018.

The reason for the administration was not documented in the nursing notes and the prescription chart was missing, the NMC said.

The dose had been signed as administered in the controlled drug register administration records on 28 July 2018 and the missing patient's prescription chart was later found torn up in the confidential waste bin.

The scope of the investigation was widened to look at the administration of morphine to other patients under her care after other findings emerged during the internal investigation.

'Not clinically justified'

The NMC has now ruled Miss Callon, who resigned on 5 August 2019, should be struck off as she had not "demonstrated or upheld proper professional standards" and administrated morphine when it was not "clinically justified".

In a report, the NMC said: "By administering morphine without assessment or appropriate prescription, Miss Callon did put patients at risk of harm and, given [her] apparent lack of remorse or remediation, the panel were of the view that such actions would be likely to be repeated in future.

"Actions relating to inappropriate administration of drugs and a failure to accurately record the administration of drugs and the rationale for administration, would not be seen as acceptable by members of the public and others and would bring the nursing profession into disrepute."

The striking-off order cannot take effect until the end of the 28-day appeal period, or the conclusion of any appeal that is lodged.

Consequently, an interim suspension order for a period of 18 months has been made.