A CARE home nurse has been struck off after making a number of drug administration blunders and for a failure to grasp the ‘seriousness of her errors.’

Karen Costello had been working as a nurse at Marley Court Care Home in Chorley, in 2014, when she failed to administer five lots of drugs, incorrectly calculated stock of blood thinning Warfarin tablets twice and failed to sign charts for one or more reside.

Mrs Costello also faced allegations that a resident was overdosed with Warfarin and this was not reported to medical staff, but following an investigation, the Care Quality Commission found no evidence of wrongdoing.

Previously, Mrs Costello had been given a nine-month suspension after other allegations were proved against her.

However, a panel of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) decided to increase this to a striking off order after she showed ‘no insight as to the seriousness of her errors or their potential consequences.’

As well as this, the panel said she had provided ‘no evidence of having taken steps to remedy her failures.’

The NMC said: “She has failed to provide any evidence of insight as to the seriousness of her misconduct and its potential consequences or any evidence of remediation or a willingness to do so.

“The panel noted that the substantive panel had imposed a nine-month suspension order to mark the seriousness of Mrs Costello’s misconduct whilst allowing her sufficient time to re-engage with the process and to undertake appropriate training to address her failings.

“However, Mrs Costello has failed to re-engage and has previously expressly stated that she has no intention of returning to nursing.

“The panel is therefore of the view that there is no likelihood of remediation.”

“The panel is satisfied that a striking off order is the only order that would be sufficient to protect the public and satisfy the wider public interest in maintaining public confidence in the profession and the regulatory process and to declare and uphold proper standards of conduct and behaviour.

“The panel therefore directs the Registrar to strike Mrs Costello’s name from the NMC register. “

Mrs Costello may not apply for restoration until a period of five years after the striking off order took effect, which was on July 25 this year.

Marley Court Care Home were unavailable for comment when contacted by the Lancashire Telegraph.