A NURSE has been struck off the register for seven months for failing to check on a resident at a Gwent care home despite being told three times they had started bleeding.

Julie Stone has been suspended following Nursery and Midwifery Council hearing into an incident at Rowan Court Care Home in Commercial Street, Griffithstown, on Wednesday, June 8, last year.

The panel heard care workers at the home had told Mrs Stone three times a resident, who had returned from hospital earlier that day after being diagnosed with haemorrhoids, had started bleeding, but she had not gone to check on them.

Although Mrs Stone did not attend the three-day hearing in Cardiff, the panel found this allegation, as well as claims she had told care workers to give the resident haemorrhoid cream without checking it was appropriate to do so, did not record the concerns in the resident’s notes and had not contacted a GP to request a check-up, were proven.

The panel also heard during the three-day hearing, which ended yesterday, Thursday, that it was only when care workers at the home asked for help from another nurse that an ambulance was called.

It was later discovered the resident, who suffered from dementia and has since died, was suffering from bladder cancer.

A report detailing the panel's findings said Mrs Stone "demonstrated a poor attitude towards care staff and showed a disregard for patient safety".

It added: "Mrs Stone's actions and omissions fell far below the standard to be expected of a registered nurse."

Speaking yesterday Michael Smalley, presenting the case, said: "(Mrs Stone) was in a position of responsibility, not only as the nurse in charge of the care of that resident, but also as the nurse in charge of that home at that time."

A report detailing the decision said: "The panel considered that this period would be sufficient to protect the public."

It added: "This will provide sufficient period for Mrs Stone to demonstrate insight and take steps to remediate her misconduct."

But it said banning Mrs Stone from practicing as a nurse indefinitely would be "disproportionate" given this was a single incident and she had an unblemished record up until this point.

The suspension will last for seven months, after which it must be reviewed.

Mrs Stone, who has reportedly not worked as a nurse since the incident, has 28 days to appeal against the decision.