A BORDERS nurse has been struck off for a second time after being found guilty of further misconduct.

Matthew McCardle put patients at risk by wrongly administering drugs, was abusive to the elderly wife of a dying patient, and was confrontational towards fellow nurses.

Last week’s Nursing and Midwifery Council hearing was told that McCardle had already been banned from nursing in 2009 for similar offences. But he’d been allowed back on the wards four years ago after pleading with authorities for his name to be returned to the register.

McCardle was employed as a staff nurse by NHS Borders when the latest blunders happened in 2017. Although he had denied the majority of the 19 different accusations, the Fitness to Practice Committee found him guilty of 13 failures of acceptable standards. A spokesman said: “The panel was of the view that the findings in this particular case, especially in light of the previously imposed striking-off order, demonstrate that Mr McCardle’s actions were extremely serious and had the potential to cause significant harm.

“The panel was mindful of the fact that Mr McCardle had previously been given an opportunity to get back on the register which he took but this case has demonstrated that he has not learnt from his past experiences.”

McCardle had been working within the Medical Assessment Unit at Borders General Hospital since March, 2016.

But during October 2017 he was involved in three separate incidents involving the administering of medication to patients.

As well as not checking the correct prescription of a blood-pressure reducing drug which was being administered, he wrongly diluted an antibiotic being intravenously fed to another patient, and also failed to change a leaking bag of anti-overdose treatment being given to another patient.

The spokesman continued: “The panel noted that these errors related to fundamental clinical nursing skills in respect of which Mr McCardle had completed training.

“Further, the panel considered that due to the repetitive nature of the errors within a short period of time there was a significant potential for serious harm – there was nothing to indicate Mr McCardle had learnt from previous incidents.”

Also during 2017 he was found guilty of unacceptable behaviour towards staff, patients and visitors.

One fellow nurse told the hearing in Edinburgh that McCardle was aggressive and he had frightened her.

The panel was also told how he’d been unprofessional and abrupt with the wife of a dying patient.

The spokesman added: “The panel considered that the type of behaviour... towards a terminally ill patient’s relative, in the presence of the patient, and towards a colleague had brought the profession into disrepute.

“Nurses are expected to treat people with kindness, respect and compassion.”

McCardle has 28 days to appeal against the striking off order.