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Care home nurse struck off after failing to attempt to give CPR

NMC had found no evidence that nurse Nahid Nasiri made a considered clinical decision
Picture of a legal assessor with reference books

NMC had found no evidence that nurse Nahid Nasiri made a considered clinical decision

Picture of a legal assessor with reference books
Picture: Charles Milligan

A nurse at the centre of a controversial fitness to practise (FtP) case for failing to attempt to resuscitate a woman in a care home is being struck off the nursing register.

Former care home nurse Nahid Nasiri was originally suspended for 12 months in January 2020 after failing to attempt to resuscitate the 89-year-old woman, who was a resident at Woodlands Nursing Home in Purley, Surrey.

Case was reviewed by NMC panel

The woman, who died on 6 August 2017, did not have a do not attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation (DNACPR) notice in place.

In a submission to the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) in January 2020, Ms Nasiri said not attempting resuscitation had been a carefully considered clinical decision.

However, in its initial ruling on the case at that time, the NMC said it could find no evidence that Ms Nasiri had made a carefully considered clinical decision.

Ms Nasiri will now be struck off after an NMC FtP panel reviewed her case on 29 December, ahead of the 12-month suspension expiring on 7 February.

Nurses raised concerns about being penalised unfairly for not attempting resuscitation

Giving its reasons for striking off Ms Nasiri, the panel said she had remained disengaged from the NMC and had offered no further information, such as demonstrating insight, remorse or how she had remediated her misconduct.

While noting that Ms Nasiri had previously expressed her intention to retire from the profession and move abroad, the panel considered there was a serious risk of repetition if she returned to practise, and therefore made the decision to strike her off the register.

The striking off order will take effect from 7 February.

Ms Nasiri’s suspension in 2020 was controversial, with some nurses voicing concern on Nursing Standard’s social media pages about whether they could be penalised unfairly for not attempting resuscitation where no DNACPR notice was in place.

NMC said nurses must be able to demonstrate evidence for their decisions

Reaction to the case led to the NMC clarifying its position, saying it would fully support nurses who use their professional judgement to decide not to start CPR.

The NMC said registrants must be able to articulate the rationale for a decision and demonstrate the evidence they used, and then formally record their decision-making process, the action they took and the outcome.

No previous regulatory concerns had been raised about Ms Nasiri in her 25-year nursing career, including following the incident until her retirement in July 2018.


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