A Pitt Meadows registered nurse has been fined and suspended for giving the wrong patient methadone.

The BC College of Nurses and Midwives disciplined Daminda Jayakody Mudiyanselage with a fine of $21,154, and a six-month suspension. The college said his conduct put patients at risk of harm, and had potentially life-threatening consequences.

Methadone is a synthetic opioid that is used to treat chronic pain, and for the treatment of addiction to heroin and other opioids.

The nurse was also reprimanded, and at the end of his suspension, his nursing practice was to continue with limits and conditions.

A panel from the college held a hearing in September of 2021 to inquire into allegations he had given methadone to the wrong patient. The complaint said he failed to document his error, notify colleagues, or intervene while that patient was in medical distress. Last month, a hearing was held to give the orders of the discipline committee.

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The panel also considered allegations that Mudiyanselage also failed to administer methadone to the patient it was intended for, and also did not document that error. In December of 2021, the panel determined that Mudiyanselage breached professional standards and committed professional misconduct on all the allegations set out against him.

In taking discipline action, the panel also considered that Mudiyanselage had already been disciplined by the college after two complaints regarding his work as a licenced practical nurse. It found that from March to October 2018 he had made numerous medication and documentation errors, and falsified a medication record. In June of 2019, he accepted the inquiry committee’s direction that he take remedial education, and consented to meeting with a practice consultant, having limits and conditions on his practice and a suspension of two weeks.

“BCCNM submitted that repetition of this conduct indicates that the respondent was not adequately deterred and did not benefit sufficiently from past remedial efforts taken by BCCNM,” said the written decision.

Mudiyanselage submitted letters from colleagues and management from a hospital in Sri Lanka where he had worked to vouch for his character.

The new conditions include remedial education in professional ethics, medication, documentation and other topics. The limits on his practice include working with an RN supervisor who is aware of his past discipline for one year. For the first six months, Mudiyanselage is to work only under direct supervision of the supervisor.

The panel said the reasons for the decision include deterrence, education and promoting public confidence.

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