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April 12, 2023 - 7:01 AM
A B.C. nurse who accidentally caused a patient to overdose on methadone, and then lied about it, has resigned.
According to an April 7 B.C. College of Nurses and Midwives decision licenced practical nurse Catalin Ghilinta was facing a lengthy period of suspension but instead voluntarily resigned.
The decision says the former Coquitlam nurse did not "adhere to high-alert medication policy" which resulted in a life-threatening methadone overdose.
"Once aware, Mr. Ghilinta failed to report the error," the decision reads. "When colleagues sought assistance with the patient in distress, Mr. Ghilinta did not acknowledge the presentation of an opioid overdose and did not provide emergent intervention to the affected patient."
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Luckily, one of Ghilinta's colleagues gave the patient life-saving treatment.
The nursing regulator says he then created false medical records for two patients and misled investigators looking into the event.
The College says it recognizes that human error occurs and that nurses are encouraged to report errors and act immediately.
"Although B.C. College of Nurses and Midwives appreciates (nurses') fear in the face of a serious medication error, failing to disclose the error and immediately take action to ensure patient safety falls toward the most serious end of (nurses) misconduct given the potential of life-altering harm for patients," the decision reads.
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Ghilinta signed a consent agreement admitting to this conduct.
Separately, Ghilinta also performed a rectal examination and fecal disimpaction on a patient when it was outside their scope of practice.
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The nursing regulator says it had sought a lengthy suspension and limits on practice, however, Ghilinta resigned from his post.
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