An Angus mental health nurse has been struck off after carrying out invasive procedures with no training.
Thomas Geddes who worked at the Inchcape Unit at Arbroath Infirmary made a string of errors giving patients medication over two years, the Nursing and Midwifery Council found.
A fitness-to-practise hearing heard he had also carried out a manual bowel evacuation without training, which the council panel ruled was a “serious failing”.
Mr Geddes was found to have committed errors on seven charges related to dispensing drugs from January 2010 to December 2011.
In 2010 he left juice containing soluble co-codamol unattended, in 2011 administered 150mg Trazadone to a patient instead of 50mg, gave Doxazosin instead of Diazepam to a patient in error, and re-administered Quetiapine PRN to a patient after four hours instead of the prescribed eight.
In 2012 he did not administer 100mg of Trazadone to a patient or 1g Sodium Valporate to another, and gave one patient medication two hours early while recording it as being given at the right time on their chart.
A striking-off order was directed to come into effect once a current 12-month suspension is served.
Mr Geddes did not attend the meeting in Edinburgh but the panel noted a letter he sent in February 2014, which stated he did not wish to continue as a nurse and wished to be removed from the register.
The panel previously heard Mr Geddes carried out the manual bowel evacuation on April 27 2012, leaving a patient bleeding and in distress.
Afterwards, the former nurse admitted his actions “fell short”, saying: “I acted to relieve this patient’s distress using an unsuitable and unauthorised method. It was instinctive and I deeply regret this.”
Panel chairperson Jane Kivlin said the actions of the nurse had “potential for serious harm”.
She said: “Mr Geddes’ actions and omissions, taken both individually and collectively, are sufficiently serious as to amount to misconduct.
“Mr Geddes made a number of medication administration and documentation errors over a period of two years and, in doing so, failed to deliver basic nursing care to a number of patients.”
A spokeswoman for NHS Tayside said: “We cannot comment on this particular case, however, nurses practice to professional standards to ensure high-quality care and patient safety.
“All registered nurses have the necessary education and training around safe administration of medicines.”