A NURSE made a "catastrophic" error by giving a four-month-old baby a fatal overdose of salt, a hearing was told yesterday.
Samuel McIntosh suffered fatal brain damage after Louisa Swinburn gave him ten times the prescribed dose of an infusion, it was said.
Just days before the blunder, Swinburn posted a picture of herself asleep next to the child on Facebook without the consent of the hospital or parents, the Nursing and Midwifery Council heard.
Samuel was born prematurely on March 1, 2009, at City Hospital, Nottingham, weighing 1lb 4oz and was given a 25 per cent chance of survival.
He was transferred to the Queen's Medical Centre to receive intensive care and by June there was talk of him going home.
But he became unwell again on July 4. Blood tests revealed that his sodium chloride levels were low and he was put on a course of fluid infusion.
Samuel, who is referred to as "Baby A" for the purposes of the NMC hearing, was prescribed three milimoles of the fluid infusion per kilogram per day.
But his sodium chloride levels remained low and after observations it was decided to give him a separate salt solution infusion.
It was then that Swinburn made a "catastrophic drug administration error" by giving him the fatal overdose.
As a result, by 3.40am he had lost 340grams of weight, 12.5 per cent of his body weight, and was suffering swelling to his brain.
"Over the next 24 hours Baby A remained significantly unwell," said Hannah Stephenson, for the NMC.
"He remained ventilated and he received fluids to correct his sodium level.
"Neurologically Baby A had a decreased consciousness level and persistent seizures.
"His sodium level gradually improved. However, there was no improvement in the neurological status."
Two days later Samuel's heart stopped and he had to be resuscitated.
At this point doctors determined that the damage caused to his brain was "non-survivable".
Samuel's parents, Sarah and Robert McIntosh, of Mansfield, were told and a joint decision was taken to stop his intensive care treatment.
He died at 11am on July 7, 2009, sparking a trust investigation.
Bosses found the syringe used to administer the fatal salt dose contained ten times the prescribed amount of sodium chloride.
Swinburn, who is not attending the central London hearing, admits administering the fatal salt dose and posting a picture of herself with Samuel on Facebook, but denies falling asleep on duty.
If found guilty of misconduct she could be kicked out of the profession.
She was dismissed from the hospital after the incident for gross misconduct.
The hearing continues.
