An Edinburgh personal care assistant fell asleep on night shift - as her patient was experiencing a seizure.
Tiffany Nicol, on more than one occasion, fell asleep during her shift which resulted in one service user getting out of bed and another suffering a seizure that she was not aware of.
During a hearing with the Scottish Social Services Council, Nicol was given a 12-month warning on her registration. The hearing stated that on February 3, 2021, Nicol failed to report a colleague who had fallen asleep during a day shift.
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In June 2021, Nicol herself fell asleep and failed to notice an alarm which has triggered as a result of a service user getting out of bed. On January 2022, another service user experienced a seizure shortly before 11pm while Nicol was asleep.
Thankfully, another colleague heard the ordeal and dealt with it, but the panel heard how Nicol wrote on her notes that the service user was asleep at 11pm when they actually suffered a seizure shortly before this time.
The incidents took place while Nicol was employed as a care assistant by Enable Scotland, although it is unclear whether or not she is still under the company's employment.
A report based on the SSSC's finding said: "By falling asleep on a waking night shift, you put a service user who is prone to having seizures at risk of harm. The service user had a seizure, and had the sleepover colleague not heard this, the service user would have been neglected during this time.
"Care staff must also keep accurate notes. You have written a note at 11pm for midnight, stating that the service user was asleep. However, the service user had a seizure shortly before this.
"There is a pattern of behaviour. You fell asleep on waking night shift on two occasions and failed to report that your colleague fell asleep on waking shift on two occasions."
The panel added how the service user's seizures can result in them needing medication, and he could have been neglected this care as Nicol was asleep and did not know he was having a seizure.
Despite the 12-month warning, the SSSC noted how Nicol has shown insight into her behaviour and acknowledged the impact it could have had on the service user. She also had a good history with the SSSC and has been working in care since the incidents were reported with no further matters referred to the council.
A spokesperson for Enable Scotland said: "The health, safety and wellbeing of the people we work for and of those who work for us are paramount. We work through our robust internal policies and in partnership with our regulators, as required, to ensure the human rights of the people we work for are upheld."
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