A TROON nurse has been suspended after she was found to have put patients at ‘unwarranted risk of harm’.

Patricia Clarke admitted to a catalogue of failings while she was working as a registered nurse at Bellhaven Care Home in Troon.

A panel of the Nursing and Midwifery council heard that Clarke had failed to document a patient had fallen in their daily record on May 11, 2016.

It was also found that when another patient had returned to the home from a hospital stay in August 2016, Clarke failed to conduct a risk assessment, update their care plan, put in place a fluid chart or put in place an observation chart.

The NMC said she had brought the nursing profession into disrepute and was likely to do so again.

Following the NMC panel hearing a report said: “The Registrant accepts that as a result of her misconduct, she has in the past acted and/or is liable in the future to act so as to put a patient or patients at unwarranted risk of harm. (She) has in the past brought, and/or is liable in the future to bring the nursing profession into disrepute and has in the past breached, and/or is liable in the future to breach one of the fundamental tenets of the nursing profession.

“The Registrant accepts that her omissions in respect of Residents A and B put both patients at unwarranted risk of harm. This is contrary to a fundamental tenet of the nursing profession: the requirement to make the care and safety of patients a primary concern.

“ In failing to do so, the Registrant has also brought the reputation of the nursing profession into disrepute”

However, the panel refrained from striking Clarke off completely after it determined she had “shown remorse” and had not worked as a nurse since being sacked.

The NMC also found that Clarke had suffered significant difficulties in her private life.

The report said: “The Registrant has demonstrated remorse and insight into her failings.

“Whilst the Registrant’s failings are considered to be easily remediable, the Registrant has not worked as a registered nurse since being dismissed from the Home, and as such she has not yet had the opportunity to remedy her misconduct.

“It is noted that the Registrant has a previously unblemished nursing career and that her failings did not result in actual harm to either Registrant. It is also acknowledged by the NMC that at the time of the incidents the Registrant was experiencing very significant difficulties in her private life.”

She was placed on a six-month suspension order.