4:02pm Friday 8th August 2008
By Lucy Clark
A PARAMEDIC accused a colleague of giving the wrong drug to an elderly woman, telling her family that it could potentially kill her, a panel heard.
Lisa Hubbard criticised fellow paramedic David Jackson, who was treating an 82-yearold at her home in Chilworth, near Southampton.
A hearing in front of a panel from the Health Professions Council heard how Miss Hubbard was second on the scene to treat the elderly woman, who had suffered a fall.
The patient was in her hallway and had been lying there for several days before being discovered by her daughter and grandson.
Mr Jackson gave her a drug called Atropine to raise her heart rate.
But whenMiss Hubbard arrived half an hour later she accused him of risking the patient's life by administering the wrong drug.
Mr Jackson said: "I tried to do a hand-over of my findings but she basically ignored me. I was cut short. The tone of Lisa Hubbard was incredibly unpleasant and unprofessional.
He described her as "confrontational" in questioning why he had given the drug. He said: "She said to the patient's daughter that I had given the wrong medication and that it could kill her mum."
He added that while with him the patient improved considerably.
After the patient had been taken to Southampton General Hospital there was a confrontation between Mr Jackson and Miss Hubbard in the car park.
Miss Hubbard, who works for South Central Ambulance Service in the Winchester area, admitted she had undermined Mr Jackson's work and had acted unprofessionally, but denied telling the family he had administered the wrong drug.
Miss Hubbard said she disagreed with the use of Atropine as she suspected the patient could be suffering from hypothermia, in which case the drug should not be used.
"The way I questioned Mr Jackson was inappropriate,"
she said.
"If I was to do the job again I would deal with it differently."
The panel found Miss Hubbard guilty of misconduct that impaired her fitness to practise.
She was issued with a caution that will remain on her record for two years.
Alexander Yule said: "The panel finds even now an inadequate acknowledgement, on the part of Miss Hubbard of the upset she caused."
© Copyright 2001-2010 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.thisishampshire.net