Nurse put babies at risk, tribunal told

A nurse made a string of errors including leaving a premature baby lying the wrong way across an incubator, a tribunal has been told.

A Nursing and Midwifery Council panel heard that Hanadi Hamza is accused of placing an infant horizontally in the intensive care unit during her shift at the Royal Oldham Hospital, allegedly gave the wrong dose of saline to another premature baby and discharged a third baby without the consent of a senior consultant.

She is also said to have left a baby unattended when its condition deteriorated, and disconnected its oxygen.

Hamza, who was not present or represented at the hearing in central London, is further accused of entering an area cordoned off because patients within it had the MRSA superbug.

The allegations all relate to a nine-month period from September 2011.

Gillian Morton, a nurse who monitored Hamza on a period of supervised practice, told the Nursing and Midwifery Council panel: “She didn’t take on board constructive criticism.

“She was saying she understood and she knew why the forms had to be completed and I then asked why it hadn’t been completed.

“It’s paramount that documents are done accurately. Babies treated on the neonatal ward are very vulnerable.”

She said Hamza had a tendency to rush her work and even after being placed on a period of supervised practice, would still do tasks without waiting for a supervisor.

“I explained that a delay in carrying out the tasks was better than carrying out the task incorrectly and putting the patient at risk,” said Mrs Morton.

If the charges are found proved, Hamza faces a ban or being struck off the medical register.

The hearing continues.