An Angus nurse who swore in front of a dying patient is to be allowed to continue working.
Tammy Futers (or McKay) admitted she used the F word within the hearing of a terminally ill patient at Lunan House Care Home, near Inverkeillor.
She used the expletive during a personal conversation on her mobile phone while she was on duty at the care home.
Futers did not appear personally at a recent hearing of the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s conduct and competency committee in London.
Following the hearing, the panel ruled that while the nurse’s actions “fell below the standard expected of a registered nurse”, her fitness to practise is not now impaired.
The nurse resigned from Lunan House after she was challenged about her behaviour there in October 2007 when she was a newly qualified nurse.
She admitted that, whilst employed as a staff nurse by Four Seasons Health Care at Lunan House Care Home, between October 4, 2007, and October 11, 2007, she repeatedly used her mobile phone whilst on duty.
In addition she admitted using offensive and/or inappropriate language when standing at the side of a patient’s bed in the presence of another care worker and using the F word during the course of a conversation on her mobile phone. She also failed to record the care provided to the patient.
The NMC panel stated: “The registrant’s inappropriate use of her mobile telephone and foul language whilst on duty, particularly within the earshot of a terminally ill, vulnerable patient, is disrespectful.
“In the panel’s opinion, by her actions the registrant breached the regulations of her employer, those of her regulatory body and the principles of public morality.”
They found her actions amounted to misconduct. In addition the panel stated that Futers’ record-keeping fell below the standard expected of a registered nurse.
The panel found Futers’ fitness to practise was impaired at the time. After seeing positive references, hearing that Futers had undertaken additional training and “learnt from past mistakes”, they found her fitness to practise was no longer impaired and imposed no sanctions.