A Romanian nurse who put patients’ lives at risk because her English was so poor she couldn’t answer simple questions has been permitted to carry on working.
Rodica Olteanu, 34, wasted crucial time as she struggled to communicate with a 999 operator when a patient was taken seriously ill.
A misconduct hearing was told Ms Olteanu was allowed to work at an NHS hospital despite not having the ‘necessary knowledge of English to practise safely’.
Her poor grasp of the language was first noted while working at a nursing home when a resident became ill and needed immediate medical attention.
Nurse Rodica Olteanu, 34, failed to answer questions in English to a 999 operator when a patient was taken seriously ill
Ms Olteanu was allowed to work at the University Hospital of North Midlands Trust (pictured) in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire despite not having the ‘necessary knowledge of English to practise safely’
In March last year Olteanu was unable to answer a 999 call handler’s questions – and needed help from colleagues before confirming the patient’s life was at ‘immediate risk’.
Care workers without medical qualifications were forced to take over the phone call at Ty Gwynno nursing home in Pontypridd, South Wales, and the patient was later successfully treated at hospital.
Olteanu was ordered to undertake a paid-for International English Language Test System.
But she refused to attend, claiming she couldn’t get time off after starting a new job.
Olteanu was ordered to undertake a paid-for International English Language Test System
She then got a job as a nurse at the University Hospital of North Midlands Trust in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire – but concerns were again raised about her language skills.
An internal assessment at the hospital gave her an English and mathematics score expected from that of a child aged nine to 11-years-old.
The hearing was told she was removed from ward duties and no longer works for the Trust.
The hearing was told Olteanu – who did not attend her hearing – does not accept her English is below standard, saying no concerns had been raised before the 999 call.
In a written statement, she said: ‘I do not deny that I am of another nationality, and I agree that my conversation level is not so is not so high as of the British citizens because English is not my native language.
‘However, I can not agree that I do not understand or can not have a conversation in English, because until this incident no one had any complaints or concerns about how to communicate or understand English language, or the manner of delivery of medical care provided by me.’
David Newman, chair of the NMC panel sitting in Cardiff, said it was ‘more than likely’ Olteanu’s lack of English ‘could place the public at risk of harm’.
He said: ‘In the panel’s view, a registered nurse should be able to demonstrate more than a basic command of the language in order to practise safely and effectively.’
Mr Newman said the public would ‘remain at risk of harm’ if Olteanu were to return to nursing in the UK, but decided against suspending her registration as it would be ‘disproportionate’.
The nurse has been allowed to carry on working despite putting lives at risk because of her ‘insufficient knowledge of English’
Care workers without medical qualifications were forced to take over the phone call at Ty Gwynno nursing home (pictured) in Pontypridd, South Wales
He instead issued a conditions of practice order – meaning if she work in the UK she must do so under supervision until she passes a recognised English language test.
A spokesman for University Hospital of North Midlands Trust said: ‘The Trust cannot comment on individual members of staff due to employee confidentiality.
‘UHNM has strict rules to ensure our clinical staff are able to communicate effectively and to a high standard with patients, relatives and colleagues.
‘There is a system in place to ensure that any concerns about a member of staff’s ability to speak English to the required standard are investigated and dealt with appropriately.’