A nurse who punished patients by forcing them to p
A nurse who punished patients by forcing them to passive smoke escaped with an informal caution today.
Joanne Ratchford also pinned one man to the wall by his throat, and trapped a woman by pushing a dining table against her.
And nurse Ratchford ordered two others into a smoking room to breath in acrid tobacco fumes against their will.
She also ordered staff not to help a frail lady out of her chair, telling them: ‘She can do it yourself.
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The incidents happened while Ratchford was working as team leader at St Andrew’s Lodge Nursing Home in Nottingham between June 1998 and April 1999.
Katrina Wingfield, for the UKCC, said Ratchford attempted to control one resident’s behaviour by forcing him into a smoking room, and ordered another to go in there when she misbehaved.
And staff at the home claim they witnessed abuse that Ratchford inflicted on other patients.
Care assistant Mandie Lounds said that one lady was frail and had to use a walking frame because of her arthritis.
She said that the woman, referred to as resident E, would often need help to get out of her chair.
But Miss Lounds told the committee: ‘I would go over and give her help but Jo told me not to.
‘She said Miss E could do it on her own.
This happened more than once as Miss E struggled to get up.
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The worker said she once watched in horror as another woman, referred to as resident A, was hemmed in at meal-times to stop her pinching other people’s food.
Miss Lounds said: ‘She was a very, very good eater and Jo asked us to block her in with tables so her back was against the window.
‘We would sit the residents at the side of Miss A and push the tables against her.
‘It was stop her walking around and pinching off the other residents.
‘Miss A did manage to get out once.
She forced herself out of the chair and climbed over the tables.
‘She just walked off and kept walking around the corridors and Jo said to make sure she sat down at meal-times and did not get up.
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Another resident once collapsed on the floor with a stomach upset but was allegedly told by Ratchford to go to her room.
Miss Lounds told the committee: ‘The woman came up to Jo and said she didn’t feel well and that she had pains in her stomach.
‘Jo told her to sit down and as she turned round she collapsed on the floor with diarrhoea.
‘Jo said: ‘Just get up and go to your room and clean yourself up.
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Miss Lounds added that a male resident was made to stay in the smoking room for half-an-hour because he laid on the floor and kicked his legs in the air.
Miss Lounds said: ‘When Jo told him to go there her voice was really deep and nasty.
‘He was left there on his own for half-an-hour.
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Another worker said she saw Ratchford hold a distressed resident by the throat against the wall because she thought he would headbutt her.
Ratchford also spoke inappropriately to a male resident when she was taking off his clothes.
Ratchford was found guilty of eight charges of misconduct.
She claimed the care assistant made up the allegations because they thought she gave preferential treatment to other staff.
But Ratchford escaped with a caution after the company which owns the home reveals they still employ her.
Colin Young, operations director of Trinity Care PLC, told the committee that Ratchford was sacked following the allegations but reinstated to undergo further training.
She now works at the firm’s Churchfield Christian Care Centre and the company said it was happy with the standard of nursing she provides.
Issuing her with an official caution committee chairwoman Allison Norman said: ‘We do not condone or excuse your actions in any way but we have been persuaded that you’re acknowledgement of your conduct and positive report from your employer is such that you are not a risk to the public.
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Ratchford wept as the result was announced.
She said after the hearing: ‘I’m very happy that it’s all over and I now feel that I can get on with my life.
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ends
