A 47-year-old Nottingham nurse has been removed from the nursing register for putting an elderly patient with Down's Syndrome patient at risk and causing him emotional distress.

A Panel of the Nursing and Midwifery Council's (NMC) Conduct and Competence Committee found that Christine Dawn Silvester, at the time employed as a nurse at Little Barn Care Home in Nottingham, had her fitness to practise impaired by misconduct.

The patient was particularly vulnerable, suffering from poor visibility and a tendency to become anxious when his routines were not followed.

The Panel was told that on14 May, Ms Silvester had:

-- Pushed the patient out of an armchair;
-- Failed to help him when he fell;
-- Did not document or report the matter.

The next day Ms Silvester broke the patient's routine by forcing him to carry his crockery into the kitchen. The patient was visibly shaken and distressed and fell down and:

-- Ms Silvester refused to allow other staff to assist him;
-- Vacuumed around the patient when he was in a state of shock;
-- Waited 30 minutes to assist him.

Commenting on the Panel's decision, Craig Turton, spokesman for the NMC said:
"Christine Silvester's actions were degrading and damaging to this elderly and vulnerable patient. She abused her power and failed to show insight into her actions or understand the harm caused to the patient. This represents a serious departure from standards as set out in the NMC code of professional conduct and protection of the public requires she be removed from the register."
nmc-uk