A nurse who stole drugs from a coronary care unit has been suspended for a year.
Rebecca Sian Mullings, who worked at Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor, was handed the maxiumum sanction by the Nursing and Midwifery Council in her absence at a hearing this week.
The nurse, who has worked for Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board since 2004, had been stealing boxes of codeine and co-codamol tablets from the unit’s drug cabinet.
She was caught after surveillance between December 1, 2014, and January 18, 2015, receiving a police caution for theft and intent to supply class C drugs.
In her response to the allegations, Mullings said: “I fully admit what I did was wrong, but I will be eternally regretful for what I have done and put my family through.”
The panel’s judgement said: “The panel paid careful regard to the Indication Sanctions Guidance and in particular that the offences for which Mrs Mullings received a police caution involved dishonesty and breaches of trust.
“However the particular circumstances of this case indicate that a suspension order for the maximum period of 12 months is the appropriate response.”
The NMC considered striking off Mullings but decided the measure would have been “punitive”.
The hearing heard how the health board notified police of increases in the number of boxes of the drugs between January 2014 and when Mullings was caught, with up to 18 boxes being ordered at a time.
Four boxes of each were ordered regularly between January and May 2014, which increased in July of the same year.
Betsi Cadwaladr reported discrepancies in drug stocks to police in early December and further observation revealed a regular discrepancy for the medication.
When arrested on January 18, 2015, Mullings admitted stealing the pain relief tablets for at least four months. She received a police caution in April.
The panel heard mitigation for the thefts, which was not disclosed, and concluded the “abuse of a position of trust” weighed against her cooperation in “the earlier stages of the NMC’s investigations” warranted suspension rather than being struck off.
If she does not appeal, Mullings, who neither appeared nor was represented at the hearing in Cardiff, can apply to have the order set aside in 12 months’ time if she engages with any review and completes a medicines management course.
see-http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/ysbyty-gwynedd-nurse-who-stole-11097303
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