By Daniel Keane
The High Court has temporarily suspended a registered nurse from practice after medication prescribed to residents of a nursing home was found in his staff accommodation.
The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland applied under section 58 of the Nurses and Midwives Act 2011 for orders against the nurse, identified as N.O. The provision allows the court to suspend a nurse's registration temporarily where that is necessary to protect the public while the professional disciplinary process continues.
Mr Justice David Barniville stressed that the court was not deciding whether the allegations against N.O. were proved.
The nurse began working at the nursing home in January 2026. His employment was terminated on April 29 after he did not successfully complete probation, although he was allowed to remain temporarily in staff accommodation.
According to evidence before the court, colleagues became concerned for his welfare on May 1 and found him unwell and confused in his room. He was taken to hospital. Staff subsequently discovered a large quantity of medication in the room, including sealed packs prescribed to 27 nursing-home residents, medication from other healthcare settings, used vials, loose tablets and a syringe needle.
A nursing-home audit indicated that approximately 195 prescribed doses had not been administered to the 27 residents between February and April. Records indicated that N.O. had signed for medication which was subsequently not administered. The residents were reviewed by their GPs, who determined that the omissions had not caused deterioration in their health.
N.O. was arrested by Gardaí on May 12. The judgment does not determine any criminal allegation arising from that arrest.
Barniville J found that the Board had legitimate concerns about patient safety and that the material before the court disclosed a sufficiently serious and strong case to justify temporary protective measures.
The court suspended N.O.'s registration and restrained him from practising nursing on an interim basis. The orders were to remain in place until after a further hearing scheduled for July 23, 2026.