Struck off, nurse who refused elderly a drink

SLAP THREAT TO COLLEAGUE, FAKE SIGNATURES ON RECORDS


A NURSE who refused to give elderly nursing home residents a drink until they had finished all the food on their plate has been struck off.

Brenda Cocker (58) warned a colleague to “watch her mouth” when she questioned her behaviour at the Oakdene Nursing Home on Stamford Road, Oldham.

She then threatened to slap the care assistant if she ever mentioned it again, the Nursing and Midwifery Council heard.

Cocker also told another care assistant, Chantel Marshall, to administer drugs when she was not authorised to do so and then faked her signature on medicine records without her knowledge.

Giving evidence Ms Marshall said: “While working at the home I noticed a number of incidents which concerned me.

“Nurse Cocker would regularly withhold drinks from residents until they had eaten everything at meal times. This upset residents and I believe this was inappropriate.”

Cocker was also frequently rude with staff and residents, the hearing was told.

Ms Marshall added: “I found her attitude towards residents and staff to be negative and she was strict, very rude and forceful.

Recalling an incident on November 25, 2007, she told the hearing: “I was in the lounge with residents at breakfast time. Nurse Cocker took a drink to one of the residents and would not allow her to drink it until she had finished her breakfast.

“When the care assistant challenged her about this she replied: ‘You watch your mouth. If you say that again I’ll smack you in the face’.”

Cocker also allowed Ms Marshall to administer medication to patients because she was busy on November 21.

“A few days later it came to my attention that I gave medication out when I should not have done,” said Ms Marshall. “Nurse Cocker had no right to ask me to do her job.

“I then discovered my initials had been placed on the residents‚ administration record sheets.

“I did not complete these sheets. I believe nurse Cocker did instead.”

The nurse, of Oldham, admitted threatening a colleague and inappropriately instructing Ms Marshall to administer medication.

Denied

She denied she refused to allow residents at the home a drink until they had finished their meal, signing medicine records using Ms Marshall’s signature without her knowing and breaching the home’s medicines policy.

But the panel found her guilty of the charges and ruled her fitness to practise was impaired.

Panel chair Linda Parkin said: “The registrant committed a number of basic failures in her practise at the home.

“Depriving elderly residents of nutritional drinks and failing to comply with drug policies could have resulted in patient harm.

“Further her threatening behaviour towards colleagues in the presence of residents had the potential to cause them emotional distress.”

Cocker, who qualified in 1971, did not attend the central London hearing.

The panel heard she no longer wishes to work in the nursing profession.