1) Evidence at inquest revealed that none of the nursing care plan risk assessments, which had been completed on Mr Blower’s arrival on the ward, had been updated during his stay. I heard evidence that there were changes to his clinical presentation that were recorded in the nursing notes and that these should have been reflected in updated risk assessments. The multi factorial falls risk assessment had not been fully completed on admission nor fully updated after an in-patient fall by Mr Blower. The evidence I heard from the nursing staff was that they are potentially missing opportunities for nursing interventions when risk assessments are not updated and that they do not always have the time to review the nursing notes. I note that the hospital is carrying out audits of documentation completion and updating some systems. However, some 2 years after the death of Mr Blower, the ward manager stated in evidence that her reviews of care plans showed a huge variety in the level of completion and that concordance with documentation remained poor. The hospital witnesses noted that staff were under significant time pressure and completing documentation is not seen as a priority.
2) Mr Blower was found to be dehydrated and he required IV fluids during his admission. The hospital nutrition policy (section entitled hydration) states that it is the responsibility of the registered nurse and medical practitioner to ensure patients receive adequate fluids and that a minimum of 7 drinks should be provided daily. In evidence I was informed that the nurses monitor fluid intake by keeping an eye on water levels in patients’ jugs (for those not deemed to require fluid intake charts). There is no-one on a ward with overall responsibility for ensuring that the trust policy on hydration is adhered to. Representations from the hospital state that other members of staff also keep an eye on nutrition. This was not sufficient to prevent Mr Blower from becoming seriously dehydrated.