Bristol nurse who 'slapped or hit' colleague struck off

A UH Bristol and Western NHS Foundation Trust spokesperson said Mrs Ihejieto has not worked for it since she was suspended in August 2018

A nurse who slapped or hit a colleague and shouted at a patient and their daughter has been struck off.

Cordelia Ihejieto also caused "excessive bleeding" by inserting a cannula into a man's arm incorrectly.

A Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) panel said the public would be "shocked" if she continued as a nurse.

Mrs Ihejieto has not worked for University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust since being suspended in August 2018.

The trust said it takes its staff's integrity and conduct "extremely seriously".

Mrs Ihejieto claimed she had "tapped" a colleague who was talking to a patient to get their attention but a panel said she had "forcefully interrupted" them by slapping or hitting them.

A patient's daughter also said the nurse was "very loud and threatening" and that she had to "ask her to stop being so rude" when Mrs Ihejieto approached them in a waiting room.

Patient left 'very distressed'

A Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) panel said Mrs Ihejieto declined to attend hearings and had shown "very limited insight" into her "pattern of misconduct".

It said her actions had been a "significant departure from the standards expected" and that the "public would be shocked" if Mrs Ihejieto was not struck off.

The panel heard a patient said she had tried to insert a cannula into the back of his hand two or three times but did not have the proper equipment to do so or to stop bleeding.

On being told to leave his care to a more senior nurse, she failed to do so and left the patient and his wife "very distressed and taken aback".

Of a total of 11 charges, dating from between February 2017 and July 2018, 10 were found proved.

A University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust spokesperson said: "The Trust fully investigated these incidents and Mrs Ihejieto has not worked at the Trust since."