Former University Hospital Galway (UHG) nurse Kofi Kyeremateng Kankam faces the possibility of being struck off the nursing register after he allegedly stabbed another nurse with a syringe filled with a strong sedative.
Kankam, is also alleged to have submitted time sheets to be paid by a nursing agency while he was in fact a full time staff member in the pay of the HSE on dates between December 2015 and February 2016.
Reporting for the Irish Independent, Eavan Murray wrote that a “Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) fitness to practise inquiry heard the allegations facing Mr Kankam during his time working at UHG including dishonesty, assault and instances of failing to properly observe and care for a patient.”
The incident with the syringe is alleged to have taken place in February 2017 where a colleague of Kankam referred to as Nurse A says he inserted a syringe which contained haloperidol medication into her body during what she described as a busy shift with lots of admissions.
She said that while she was on the phone calling hospital security in relation to a patient absconding Kankam, who was behind her leaned towards her saying ‘I’ve got her girl’ at which point she felt a sharp pinch in her side.
The nurse says that she retreated into a separated area followed by another nurse. She said the area of the needle wound was squeezed in order to try and expel any of the substance that may have entered her system and that her tunic was bloodstained as a result of the wound.
A blood test showed that none of the medication in the syringe had entered her blood stream.
Nurse A told the hearing that although she was able to return to work three weeks later she said that after the alleged incident she had difficulty sleeping and eating and felt she was unable to continue working there.
The nurse applied for a transfer due to unpleasant memories of the alleged incident saying that it was ‘completely unprovoked’ and that she had had no prior interactions with Kankam.
Further witnesses are to be called before the fitness to practise committee for a hearing in December.