Three nurses struck off for misconduct at care home
The Nursing Board, otherwise known as An Bord Altranais, has just published details of the incident at an unnamed nursing home in 2005.
Staff nurse Stuart Cummings was struck off the register after he was found guilty of a series of charges of professional misconduct arising out of the event.
Two of his nursing colleagues, including the nursing home’s owner, Ann Teresa Connolly, had their names erased from the register as a result of their failure to deal with Cummings’ behaviour.
A hearing of the Nursing Board’s fitness-to-practise committee found that Cummings had inappropriate physical and/or sexual contact with an unidentified female patient known only as Ms X on a date between February 1, 2005 and July 31, 2005. On that occasion, the patient was naked, while Cummings’ trousers were “lowered”.
The committee heard that both Cummings and the patient were partially undressed and the patient’s hands were on Cummings’ genitals on another date.
It also found that Cummings regularly hugged and kissed residents in the nursing home including Ms X in an inappropriate fashion.
The nurse also worked on duty while under the influence of alcohol as well as going absent from his duties for prolonged periods without permission.
The Nursing Board also found that Cummings had failed to disclose the reason for his dismissal from the nursing home as well as details of his drink problem to his subsequent employers.
Ms Connolly — otherwise known as Ms Lipsitt — who was in control of the nursing home during the period of the charges made against Cummings, was struck off over her failure to take appropriate action regarding allegations that he had engaged in inappropriate contact with a resident.
The committee found that Ms Connolly had failed to undertake any investigation of the allegations against the nurse or to report them to the gardaí, HSE and the Nursing Board as well as the patient’s family.
It also ruled that she had allowed Cummings to continue to work in the nursing home without any supervision even after the allegations against him had been made.
The committee said Ms Connolly’s actions had exposed the patient and other residents to risk of abuse.
Ms Connolly also gave references concerning Cummings to other potential employers which she knew were false and misleading.
Another senior staff member, Emelina Navale, who worked as matron at the nursing home, had her name struck off the register for similar failures to control an employee operating under her supervision.
