Nurse suspended from care home after catalogue of failings (From Watford Observer)

Nurse Maggi Abraham, suspended from Arden House Nursing Home in Kings Langley after catalogue of failings

1:20pm Tuesday 12th February 2013 in News By Court Reporter

Maggi Abraham

A "nasty" nurse who left an elderly patient’s leg bleeding after throwing her into a wheelchair has been suspended for six months.

Maggi Abraham refused to apologise to the patient and said "you English are so four faced" when a colleague said sorry on her behalf.

Abraham, who has been a nurse for 25 years, was found guilty of a string of failings during her time at Arden House Nursing Home in Kings Langley, between May and August 2009.

They included leaving a Parkinson's sufferer sobbing with terror by pulling the covers off her bed in the middle of the night.

She also tried to get care assistants to lie for her when a resident fell from a hoist and banged her head, and chatted on the phone while helping a patient use the toilet.

Abraham also pulled a resident's hair and shouted at another.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council decided not to strike her off however, after hearing of her "exemplary" work at another care home in the three years since the misconduct.

Care assistant Linda Hall, told the hearing how she felt obliged to apologise on Abraham's behalf after she left an elderly woman, referred to as Resident B, bleeding: "Maggi did not lower Resident B down gently, she literally threw her into her wheelchair.

"Resident B's skin was very delicate and because of how rough Maggi was with her, her skin tore and bled.

"Maggi did not say anything to Resident B and she did not apologise.

"I remember that Maggi tutted and walked off to get a dressing.

"I felt so uncomfortable that I ended up apologising to Resident B on Maggi's behalf.

"Resident B said 'it wasn't you, it was her she's so rough'.

"Maggi overheard Resident B saying this and she said ‘you English are so four faced’ or words to that effect. I think she meant "two faced’."

Ms Hall said she found another resident sobbing in fear in the middle of the night after Abraham ripped the covers from her bed.

The nurse also pulled a resident's hair while giving them their medication, and squeezed their lips to make sure they swallowed.

In another incident, Ms Hall told the panel how Abraham "rudely" talked on the phone while assisting a resident on the toilet.

Ruling that she was not fit to work without sanctions, panel chair Paula Burton said: "Through her actions, Ms Abraham failed to treat vulnerable, elderly residents with dignity and respect.

"These were residents that were dependent on Ms Abraham for their health, safety and well being."

But she said it would be "disproportionate" to strike off Abraham, noting she has worked as Deputy Unit Manager at Rivercourt Nursing Home, Explorer Drive, Watford, for three years without incident.

Registered manager of the home, Emma Parker, provided a glowing reference for Abraham, saying she was "one of the most gentle, kind nurses she had ever worked with".

Ms Burton concluded: "Whilst the panel considers that some of Ms Abraham's failings demonstrated attitudinal problems, it does not consider these to be deep-seated or irremediable.

"The panel is satisfied that, notwithstanding the seriousness of Ms Abraham's failings, the circumstances of this case are not such that the requirements of public protection and the public interest could only be met by a striking off order.

"Having regard to the circumstances of the case, the panel considers that a period of suspension would be a sufficient sanction.'

Abraham will now be banned from working as a nurse for six months.

She had denied the charges.