U.K.: Elderly woman dies after nurse gives insulin overdose

. An elderly woman died after a nursing home worker gave her an overdose of insulin twice in three days, a hearing was told. LONDON, England (The Telegraph), September 1, 2008: By Graham Tibbetts Tracy Bowen, 43, gave the pensioner five times the required amount of the drug on both November 2 and 4, 2006, the Nursing and Midwifery Council heard. The patient suffered a hypoglycaemic attack and was taken to hospital from the Himley Mill Nursing Home in Dudley, west Midlands, where she died a month later. It later emerged Bowen had given her a 100-unit dose instead of 20 units on both occasions. Gillian Howarth, manager of the care home, told the hearing a "distressed" Bowen called her immediately after she realised she had twice given the woman five times her recommended dose. Mrs Howarth said: "She informed me that on the transfer form the dosage was 20 units. She said she had then realised she had given the wrong dose, and had given her 100 units twice. "On the telephone she was extremely upset and distressed and could not believe she had done that. "I asked her to complete an incident report, and said I would have to investigate." It is also claimed Bowen made a series of errors relating to the patient, known only as A, before the overdose incident. She allegedly failed to make sure a care plan gave full details of her Parkinson's Disease and insulin-dependent diabetes when the pensioner arrived at the home on October 29, 2006. The nurse also did not record patient A's blood sugar levels on November 2 and 3, 2006, said Hannah Capgras, for the NMC. Bowen, who is not present at the hearing but is being represented by her husband, David, has admitted failing to complete a care plan, or ensure a plan was completed, for patient A. She admits irregularites in filling in the woman's medication sheet recording her blood sugar levels. However, she denies failing properly to administer doses to patient A on November 2 and 4. Bowen, of Bilston, west Midlands, could be struck off if the panel find her guilty of misconduct. The hearing continues. © Copyright of Telegraph Media Group Limited 2008