A nurse at a care home in Plympton, Plymouth, has been struck off after failing to disclose that a vulnerable resident changed his will to leave her a house and gifts. Michelle Day, a senior care home nurse at Merafield Nursing Home, was found to have breached professional boundaries by accepting gifts and spending extra time with the resident, identified as Resident A.
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) fitness to practice panel heard that Mrs Day received shares, flowers, and £200 in cash from Resident A, along with the house. Despite being obligated to inform her employer about these gifts, Mrs Day did not disclose them, leading the panel to determine she was dishonest in her actions.
The panel found that Mrs Day’s behaviour, which included spending a disproportionate amount of time with Resident A and divulging personal information, misled the resident into believing they were in a romantic relationship. This misconduct resulted in emotional harm to the vulnerable resident, who viewed Mrs Day’s actions as more than professional nursing care.
The panel emphasised that Mrs Day’s actions were in direct violation of the care home’s policies and the NMC Code, which require transparency when receiving gifts from patients. They concluded that Mrs Day’s conduct not only harmed Resident A emotionally but also brought the nursing profession into disrepute.
Although Mrs Day, a nurse registered since 2008, did not attend the hearing, she communicated to the NMC her intention to discontinue her nursing career. The panel issued a striking-off order against her, stating that her sustained dishonesty and pursuit of personal gain at the expense of a vulnerable patient warranted such a severe sanction.
The case serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining professional boundaries in healthcare settings and the ethical obligations healthcare professionals have towards their patients’ welfare. The NMC’s decision to remove Mrs Day from the nursing register underscores the gravity of breaching these boundaries and the severe consequences it can entail in terms of professional accountability and integrity.