Nurse struck off for failing to give vitamin K to newborn
Newborn suffers haemorrhage after nurse fails to administer vitamin K
A newborn experienced a severe haemorrhage due to a nurse’s failure to administer vital vitamins following a home birth. Shadae Mullard, an on-call midwife from Liverpool Women’s Hospital’s home birth team, misled her colleagues about providing these crucial vitamins to the infant in 2021, leading to the baby’s hospitalisation.
During a Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) fitness to practise hearing, it emerged that Mullard assisted new parents with a home birth in May, arriving post-delivery of baby A. The hearing, concluded earlier this month, revealed Mullard falsely claimed to have given vitamin K to the baby, despite no evidence or witness confirmation.
A month later, the baby was hospitalised with symptoms including vomiting, a limp arm, and eye rolling. A CT scan detected a severe intracranial haemorrhage, and tests showed a critical vitamin K deficiency.
Mullard has been removed from the nursing register following the revelation of her cover-up. A report indicated that a colleague visited the mother on May 21 for routine postnatal checks but found no documentation of vitamin K administration, and the parents did not recall being informed by Mullard.
Baby A’s condition improved after receiving the necessary vitamins in the hospital, leading to a diagnosis of late haemorrhagic disease of the newborn (HDN). Safeguarding teams noted the absence of vitamin K in the baby’s personal health record, known as the red book.
Mullard, now an events manager at a hotel, was informed on June 2 of the baby’s hospitalisation. She claimed, inaccurately, that she had administered the vitamin. She then made a false entry in the baby’s record, stating the vitamins were given on May 1. A consultant paediatric haematologist from the Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust investigation indicated a “less than one percent likelihood” that the baby received vitamin K.
After the emergency hospital admission in June and the administration of vitamins, Baby A’s condition improved. Mullard was suspended in September 2021 and dismissed in January 2022.
The NMC panel found Mullard’s accounts “inconsistent” and concluded she knew she hadn’t administered the vitamin, misleading colleagues and altering records retrospectively. The report stated: “You knew full well that you had not administered vitamin K to baby A, and could find no innocent explanation for your lies to colleagues and in clinical records.”
Mullard admitted failing to arrange blood samples for another patient, known as patient F, after her suspension, falsely assuring a colleague the task was done. She attributed her failure to a busy night and her suspension. Her colleague felt betrayed, believing Mullard had “lied to her face.”
At the hearing, NMC advocate Alastair Kennedy discussed the severe implications of not administering vitamin K to baby A. The tribunal, consisting of three members, determined Mullard’s actions involved continuous deceit, including false entries in medical records.
The report concluded that Mullard’s actions were extremely serious and would be considered deplorable by her peers.
Mullard’s behaviour amounted to severe professional misconduct, warranting disciplinary action. The panel found her deceit compromised patient care, causing harm to baby A, and was part of a long-term pattern of lying to colleagues.
Therefore, they decided that removing her from the nursing register was necessary to protect the public and serve the wider public interest.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions asked about this news
What happened to the baby after the home birth?
The baby suffered a severe haemorrhage due to a critical vitamin K deficiency.
Why was the nurse removed from the nursing register?
The nurse was removed for failing to administer vitamin K and misleading colleagues about it.
What are the symptoms of vitamin K deficiency in newborns?
Symptoms include vomiting, a limp arm, and eye rolling, as seen in the affected baby.
How was the baby’s condition treated?
The baby’s condition improved after receiving the necessary vitamins in the hospital.
What did the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) conclude about the nurse’s actions?
The NMC concluded the nurse’s actions were deceitful and constituted severe professional misconduct.
