Nurse who did not help injured patient could be struck off

A NURSE who failed to call for help when he found an injured patient lying sandwiched between his mattress and bedrail faces being struck off.

Michael Collins was working a nightshift at the Tamar House Nursing Home in Saltash, Cornwall, when he patched up only one of the man's multiple injuries himself rather than call an ambulance.

A conduct and competence committee at the Nursing and Midwifery Council found that he had also failed to make a note of the severity of the elderly man's injuries and inform colleagues of the fall.

The panel found all the allegations against Collins proved and must now decide whether his actions amount to misconduct.

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Matron Ruby Joseph said she was called to check on the man, known only as Patient A, who had 'serious looking' injuries.

"I could see that he had an injury on his neck, to his upper left arm, a small laceration to his forehead and a skin flap to his forearm."

When asked by Elizabeth Wheeler, for the NMC, what injuries Collins had missed, Ms Joseph said: "One was on his neck, that was the big one, he obviously missed that one and on the left arm. The arm looked to me like it was dislocated; there was a disfiguration.

"I would think there would be bruises starting to come up, more on his head and on his arms."

Ms Joseph told the hearing that the only injury that had been treated was one on the man's left arm which had been bandaged incorrectly.

She said Collins had used a sticky dressing instead of a padded one, making it difficult to remove and 'very painful' for the resident.

When paramedics arrived they were unhappy that they had not been called earlier.

Collins was placed under supervision but refused to accept the conditions relating to him returning to work and resigned.

Collins denied all of the allegations against him.

If the panel finds that his fitness to practise is impaired, then he could be kicked out of the nursing profession.

The hearing continues tomorrow.