Pubdate: Thu, 27 Jan 2011
Source: Province, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2011 Postmedia Network Inc.
Contact: http://www2.canada.com/theprovince/letters.html
Website: http://www.theprovince.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476
Author: Sam Cooper
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?136 (Methadone)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/prison.htm (Incarceration)

NURSE'S METHADONE MISTAKE A RESULT OF FLAWS IN SYSTEM, UNION HEAD SAYS

The fatal mistake made by a rookie nurse in a methadone overdose 
death at a Maple Ridge prison points to systemic flaws in B.C.'s 
health system, the B.C. Nurses Union says.

As The Province reported Wednesday, a confidential B.C. Corrections 
review shows a nurse on her second orientation shift - who should 
only have been shadowing a regular nurse - was responsible for 
supplying methadone to a 32-year-old inmate at Fraser Regional 
Correctional Centre.

Because of a staff shortage the nurse was apparently asked to go out 
on methadone rounds without proper training and supervision. The 
review suggests the 32-year-old man used a borrowed identification 
card to trick the nurse into supplying methadone that was prescribed 
to go to a cellmate.

The review also showed the man should never have been housed with a 
methadone program inmate.

President Debra McPherson says the union advocated for the rookie 
nurse in a B.C. Corrections investigation, and as far as McPherson 
knows, the nurse was not disciplined by management.

One of the factors to consider is the nurse was thrown into a 
situation of serving 40 inmates she had never met, in a challenging 
and potentially dangerous environment.

"Let's not focus on the mistake the nurse made here," McPherson said. 
"It is bad and I'm sure she feels very bad. But these types of things 
happen every day in facilities across the province, where we have 
staff working short, often inexperienced, and they are told to 'just 
get it done.'"

B.C. Corrections says after the review it worked with the private 
health contractor involved, Calibre Health, "to ensure when a new 
staff member is being oriented, there is appropriate supervision in place."

But, already a new private contractor has replaced Calibre Health at 
FRCC, which raises concerns that lessons learned will be lost, McPherson said.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom