Nurse struck off for taking Pethidine

A South Island nurse who gave the painkiller pethidine to a patient without a doctor's order and took more of the drug for himself has been struck off the register of nurses.

Stephen James Farquhar, of Dunedin, but working in Ranfurly at the time of the incidents, was a nurse trained to work on ambulance callouts and as emergency after-hours cover for the local doctor.

After several incidents with pethidine - a morphine substitute - the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal launched an investigation and struck him off the register of nurses. The tribunal also imposed $10,000 in costs.