This happens in many hospitals, not just in Australia:

When asked what she thought the standard dose of dextrose was at the time of the error, she answered a standard solution of 4 to 5 per cent. She said she did not know a 50 per cent dosage could have a dangerous effect.

“It was a strange order,” she said. “It was unusual. I recall thinking I have never written anything up like that before.”

Dr Foo said she found senior staff at the hospital intimidating and that there was “an element of fear to approach them”.

She said there was a culture at the hospital in which questions or lack of knowledge were frowned on. “You were made to feel very little if you didn’t know something,” she said.