A massive overdose of insulin led to the death of 62-year-old Moira Pullar on 17 January 2004 at Monklands General Hospital. The wrong dose was administered by a nurse who failed to cross check the records in the hospital, or consult a doctor. The overdose of insulin resulted in bronchial pneumonia after cardiac arrest and brain damage.
The poor handwriting of one nurse was misread by another, leading to the fatal dose. The warning signs of the overdose was also reported to have been overlooked as a result of the prevailing confusion with regard to the new nursing practices. Nurse Walker, the nurse responsible had administered 40 units of insulin instead of the required 4 units. The patient’s condition which had deteriorated after administering the dosage was also not taken proper note of.According to Sheriff Dickson, defects in the system like not consulting a doctor before administering insulin and the confusion prevailing among the nurses on 11 January 2004 when the new nursing practices were introduced led to the death of the patient. The prescription chart of Mrs. Pullar had also been deliberately altered after the incident. A NHS spokesman said action is being taken with regard to the issues the Sheriff had raised.
