A former trauma and orthopaedic nurse on Withybush’s Ward One has been struck off by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) after they concluded her conduct “placed dependant patients at unwarranted risk of harm”.

Natalie Anne Watts worked as a band five staff nurse on the trauma and orthopaedic ward of Withybush Hospital from May 2010 until she was dismissed in July 2014.

The fitness to practise panel heard that Mrs Watts made a “number of clinical errors” in 2010, but there were no issues with her practice at that time and she was placed on supervised practice for two weeks.

However, from July 2012 to December 2013 she made a series of errors in the care of at least five patients which encompassed “medication errors and inadequate care of patients”.

During an NMC hearing last September Mrs Watts admitted six charges which included errors in taking blood pressure, storing, preparing and administering medicine, carrying out observations, recording vital signs, calculating patients’ National Early Warning Score and failing to escort a patient to theatre.

She denied a charge that she did not ensure a patient in her 90s was supervised when she was unwell, however this was found proved.

An eighth charge that Mrs Watts did not escalate possible signs of pressure damage in a patient was found not proved due to insufficient evidence.

Last week the panel concluded that all but one of the seven proved charges amounted to misconduct, with two being classed as serious or possibly having serious consequences and one placing the patient at risk of harm.

“Your conduct placed dependent patients at unwarranted risk of harm, particularly taking into account your repeated failure to safely administer medication, poor record keeping and your failure to provide adequate nursing care,” it concluded.

The panel determined that Mrs Watts’ fitness to practise was currently impaired due to her misconduct. It struck her off, adding an immediate 18 months interim suspension order.

Mrs Watts can appeal the decision but if unsuccessful will not be able to apply for restoration to the register for five years.

“A striking off order is the only sanction sufficient to protect patients and the wider public interest,” concluded the panel.

“Your misconduct, accompanied by significant risk of repetition, is fundamentally incompatible with being a registered nurse.”