A Perth care home nurse has been struck off for taking a dementia patient’s necklace after being caught wearing it on a social media profile picture.
Morven Campbell was found guilty of taking the patient’s necklace at Louisebrae Care Home, Tulloch Hill, between September and December 2013 after a two-day hearing of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
Campbell told police that she had taken the necklace as it was similar to one which had a picture of her mother in it, and she wanted her to be close to her heart.
In her role as charge nurse Campbell was the assigned team leader in charge of the unit she worked on.
The NMC panel heard that the patient, who was said to be socially withdrawn and not aware of what happened around her, was dressed with the necklace every morning by a care assistant.
It was silver and consisted of two heart-shaped pendants and a T-bar fastening that was believed to have been given to her by her family.
When the necklace went missing and staff could not find it the jewellery was reported to the police as stolen.
However, in November 2013 the necklace was found in the patient’s hand in the dining room.
Campbell was heard to say something to the effect of: “What’s that in (the patient’s) hand. That looks like her necklace”.
Campbell then completed a daily log stating that the necklace had been found down the side of the patient’s usual chair and she was seen to be playing with it in her hands.
However, in December 2013, a care home assistant who was suspicious of Campbell looked at her profile on a social networking website and saw a profile photo of her wearing the necklace.
Under police interview Campbell initially denied taking the jewellery.
She later admitted: “Yes I took it for one night. I returned it the next day. I shouldn’t have taken it. I returned it to her top drawer in her room.”
The NMC panel stated that Campbell had violated the patient’s dignity and individuality.
Their report said: “The panel had found that although this was one incident it involved a persistent covering up of her dishonest conduct that deprived a vulnerable patient of the only piece of jewellery that she owned.
“Miss Campbell was in a position of responsibility and trust which she abused for her own gain with no regard for the effect of her actions on others.”
In July last year, the procurator fiscal stated that they would take no criminal proceedings against Campbell for the alleged theft of the necklace.