A YOUNG man died of swine flu and pneumonia after being advised by a call centre nurse to self-medicate instead of going to A&E.
Fadzai Jaravaza was working for NHS Direct in the Chelmsford call centre when she advised the man, who called twice on Christmas Day 2010, complaining of diarrhoea, vomiting, a chesty cough and discoloured phlegm, to visit a pharmacist.
Instead of following the advice on the computer, which said the man should go to accident and emergency, Jaravaza, of Wickford, told him to take warm drinks and cough syrup.
The unnamed man, aged 20, was admitted to hospital on Boxing Day 2010 and died hours later after being diagnosed with pneumonia secondary to H1N1 influenza – swine flu.
He had been suffering with diarrhoea and vomiting for six days. The 59-year-old nurse, qualified for more than 30 years, will be struck off the medical register following a Nursing and Midwifery Council meeting of the Conduct and Competence Committee.
Jaravaza, who was employed for nine years at NHS Direct, took the first telephone call from the patient in the early hours of Christmas Day 2010.
The nurse received a second call on Christmas Day morning, this time from the patient's concerned mother.
But "on both occasions, Ms Jaravaza advised that Patient A should seek pharmacy advice and self-medicate", the panel found.
The case of Patient A was one of seven counts of misconduct taken into consideration by the panel.
Other accusations included failing to provide the correct care to patients complaining of chest pain, palpitations and breathing difficulties.
The panel found the failings of the nurse were "serious and put Patient A at risk".
The panel concluded Jaravaza "continues to present an unwarranted risk to patients and is liable to bring the profession into disrepute".
She has been given 28 days to appeal the decision.
Tricia Hamilton, NHS Direct Clinical Director, said: "The assessment carried out by Fadzai Jaravaza was completely unacceptable and does not reflect the high standard of care that NHS Direct's nurses provide to their patients."
