A nurse employed by the Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust has been suspended after 11 charges were proved against them.

A Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) hearing for Fredy Amador Rios Vigil concluded on Friday, December 1, and resulted in a six-month suspension order.

This follows an 18-month interim suspension order, which was carried out while the case was ongoing. The nurse faced 13 charges in total, 11 of which were proven.

The Hertfordshire foundation trust refused to confirm specifically where in the county the nurse worked.

During the hearing, it was proven that - on January 4, 2020 - the nurse prepared medication for a patient without having checked his prescription chart, prepared medication for a patient in the absence of a second checker, and allowed the incorrect medication to be administered.

Later - on May 19, 2020 - Rios Vigil did not conduct a seclusion review of a patient, inaccurately completed a form to show that the review had taken place, and inaccurately completed a form to show that a colleague had also conducted the seclusion review.

It was also proven that the nurse, whose conduct was branded "dishonest" in the report, did not safely dispose of spoiled medication on November 2, 2021.

It was not proved that Rios Vigil administered an overdose of Haloperidol to a patient on December 18 that year, however, it was proved that the patient's medication chart had been amended to appear that Haloperidol had not been administered.

It was also confirmed that Rios Vigil denied having administered Haloperidol when questioned by a colleague, but it was not proven that the nurse attempted to persuade the patient to deny that the drug had been administered.

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Between December 1, 2021, and January 6, 2022, Rios Vigil worked as a nurse without being registered with the NMC.

The NMC launched its investigation after being contacted by the trust.

When approached for comment, a spokesperson for the Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust said: “The trust raised concerns about a member of staff with the NMC, who followed due process and have taken appropriate action.  

"The safety of our service's users will always be our priority.”