A nurse who removed prescribed painkillers for his own personal use from his workplace has been found guilty of professional misconduct by a fitness-to-practise committee.
Andrei Pislaru (33), who was working as a staff nurse at Marymount Care Centre, Westmanstown, Lucan, Co Dublin, at the time of the allegations was alleged to have removed on four occasions, in May and June 2024, one or more Solpadol tablets from a sachet intended for resident A and replaced them with two paracetamol tablets.
Solpadol is a prescription-only painkiller used to treat severe pain in adults.
The sachets involved were the 9am sachet and 10pm sachet on May 30th, the 9am sachet on May 31st and the 9am sachet on June 1st, 2024.
The sachets were used to keep medication for the care centre residents.
The inquiry heard the sachets on the dates in question had been tampered with as a small cut had been made at the back which was sealed up with sellotape.
It was the practice of the pharmacy that supplied the sachets to slit them at the bottom if they wished to amend the medication.
It was also alleged Mr Pislaru, on or about May 31st, 2024, requested seven Solpadeine tablets from a staff nurse, where he indicated that the tablets were for resident M when the medication was for his own use.
Solpadeine can be used in patients over 12 years of age for the short-term relief of acute, moderate pain that is not relieved by over-the-counter painkillers such as paracetamol.
The committee further found Mr Pislaru guilty of breaches of principles of the code of conduct for nurses. These included those relating to trust, the professional relationship with colleagues and professional responsibility and accountability.
The inquiry heard Mr Pislaru previously admitted to the allegations.
Mr Pislaru, who had no legal representation, explained that at the time of the allegations he was suffering from severe back pain and that the GP he attended would not prescribe him medication.
“For nights on end I had no sleep which meant I was calling in sick a lot. I was frightened about the verbal warning [for repeated absenteeism] I received from the CNM (clinical nurse manager). It was a split decision, I wasn’t processing, I wasn’t taking on board the seriousness of my actions. I was just thinking of getting the pain sorted and coming to work. There is no issue of addiction, it was a stupid decision at the time,” he added.
Subsequent to Mr Pislaru’s conduct, an investigation was carried out by the care centre which included a disciplinary meeting on June 20th, 2024, attended by Catherine Tighe, director of nursing at the care centre, Fergus McNulty, director and proprietor, and Mr Pislaru.
At the meeting Mr Pislaru apologised for his behaviour which he said was “all my own fault”.
The inquiry heard Mr McNulty said at the meeting that he was deeply saddened and that although Mr Pislaru had “given great service” there was no other option but to terminate his employment with immediate effect from June 21st, 2024, for gross misconduct.
The inquiry heard that as part of the investigation at the care centre, CCTV footage was viewed which showed that Mr Pislaru did not administer Solpadeine tablets to resident M on May 31st, 2024.
The inquiry heard that while Mr Pislaru did not admit to his conduct at the first meeting of the investigation process at Marymount, he subsequently made admissions in early course and co-operated with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) fitness-to-practise process at all stages.
Sinéad Taaffe, solicitor for the chief executive of the NMBI, submitted the allegations were of “a serious nature” involving dishonesty, a breach of trust and had the potential to jeopardise patient safety.
In her submissions as to sanction, Ms Taaffe said her client felt that an appropriate and proportionate sanction would be to censure Mr Pislaru. She said if he were to return to nursing e would undertake an ethics course to remediate his conduct.
The complaint against Mr Pislaru was made on June 14th, 2024, by Ms Tighe.
Mr Pislaru undertook training in Romania and obtained registration with the NMBI in 2016.
He began working at the Marymount care centre in April 2020.
Mr Pislaru told the inquiry he was now working in a non-nursing role for a company and that it was “highly unlikely” that he would return to nursing.
The committee retired on Friday to consider its recommendation as to sanction, which it will forward to the NMBI council in due course.