Nurse struck off after abuse

A nurse at a Shropshire care home who roughly handled an elderly man and failed to take precautions while treating a patient with the MRSA superbug has been struck off by her professional body.

Yvonne Cemane, 53, was found guilty of misconduct by the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

She had been working at Rylands Nursing and Residential Home, Forton Road, Newport, for only a few days in May 2005, after being hired from South Africa.

But staff at the home became concerned about her behaviour.

Panel chairman Catherine Duthie said the nurse had shown no insight into her actions and was guilty of "serious deficiencies in safe practice".

"The findings of abuse made in this case, in relation to a particularly vulnerable patient, are very serious," she said.

"No lesser sanction would be appropriate."

Cemane, of Edgbaston, Birmingham, did not attend the central London hearing and no longer works at the 33-bed home.

The panel heard home matron Tracie Pete saw Cemane treating a patient with MRSA while not wearing gloves or a protective apron on June 23, 2006.

Two days, later Cemane was seen roughly handling an elderly man with dementia, who had soiled himself.

Carer Ann Czul told the panel she was shocked to see Cemane grab the man's ha- nd and hold it up to his face.

"Her voice was very abrupt, very aggressive. I was really shocked," said Mrs Czul. "She was then quite rough with changing him and turning him over."

The next morning the man was taken to hospital with a raised temperature and stomach pain. Cemane was then suspended.

She was cleared of two charges relating to giving patients their medication, but found guilty of safety failings and the "rough treatment" of the incontinent resident.

Cemane will not be allowed to work as a nurse for a minimum of five years.

By Peter Johnson