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NMC caution order for nurse who failed to perform CPR

A nurse has admitted misconduct after failing to attempt to resuscitate a care home resident she believed was dead.
NMC hearing

A nurse has admitted misconduct after failing to attempt to resuscitate a care home resident she believed was dead.


An NMC committee said the nurse’s actions fell short of what would be
expected of a registered nurse. Picture: Charles Milligan

Jane Kendall told the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) that the resident was not breathing, had no pulse or other vital signs, and was ‘waxy, yellow and almost cold’.

An NMC conduct and competence committee said that her actions ‘fell seriously short of what would be expected of a registered nurse’ and gave her a two-year caution order.

The hearing on 9 January, which Ms Kendall did not attend, heard that the resident at Moorland Nursing Home in Poulton, Lancashire, did not have a do not resuscitate order in place.

The nurse, who has more than 40 years of experience, admitted that although she believed the resident had already died, she had an obligation to provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation and call for an ambulance. She also agreed she was acting outside of her competence as she was not qualified to certify death.

The resident was later confirmed dead by paramedics. A police investigation and an inquest in November 2014 found no suspicious circumstances relating to the death.

Temporary suspension

Ms Kendall was suspended temporarily by her employer and given a final written warning.

The hearing in January found that the registrant had reflected on the incident, expressed remorse and undertaken additional training.

The findings state: ‘In her most recent reflective piece, Ms Kendall has stated that she is very confident that faced with a similar situation she would react very differently; she would follow procedure and work according to local policies and national guidelines.’

Regional manager at the nursing home Leenah Gutty said: ‘Ms Kendall is still with us and is doing really well.’ She said the home had a good Care Quality Commission inspection earlier this year.


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