'Die, die, die' nun, 70, banned from nursing for a year after appalling treatment of patients

Mary Olimma, 70, made a series of cruel comments while on duty at Roseway House, a home for elderly dementia patients in Jarrow, Tyne and Wear.

The Nigerian told a female resident: "Why don’t you just die. Nobody wants you here" before adding: "Just die. Die, die, die."

During the same day, October 18, 2014, Olimma barked at the patient: "Why don’t you take the medication you stupid woman?"

Olimma also told another resident with dementia "You perspire too much, you stink of urine and faeces" before washing them aggressively on August 25, 2013.

Healthcare assistant Louise Brennan told the Nursing and Midwifery Council: "She had a horrible look, as if she did not care about the resident.

"She washed them roughly, almost shoving them with her hands."

Giving evidence Olimma claimed the allegations were just ‘fabrications’ by three colleagues.

But the NMC panel found a catalogue of charges against her proved and today issued Olimma with a 12-month suspension order.

Panel chair Kenneth Caley said: "Your standard of practice fell far short of what was reasonable to expect.

"All four staff involved stated that they had been shocked and appalled by the way you spoke to and treated the resident in question.

"We concluded that any fair-minded member of the public would be appalled at the way in which you conducted yourself on these occasions.

"You were the only registered nurse on duty and thus in a position of responsibility in relation to your colleague.'

Mr Caley said the nurse had shown 'no insight or remorse' and had not produced any evidence that she had done anything about her failings.

He added: "You have had a long and unblemished career. However... we identified a continuing risk to patients.

"We considered that nothing less than a period of temporary removal from the register would be sufficient to uphold the public interest in this case.

"We considered a striking order disproportionate at this time."

Olimma said ‘thank you’ to the panel after the decision was handed down, which could see her return to nursing in a year’s time.

The nurse was found to have told a resident they ate too much, told another resident they stank of urine and faeces, used force when washing a resident, told her to do medication upstairs and grabbing her by the arm and saying to a resident "Why don’t you take the medication you stupid woman", "Why don’t you just die. Nobody wants you here" and "Just die. Die, die, die".

She was cleared of inappropriately pushing a resident’s knees when changing his pad and poking a colleague.

The panel considered Olimma’s fitness to practice was impaired by reason of misconduct and issued a 12-month suspension order.

The panel also imposed an 18-month interim suspension order to allow for the possibility of an appeal.

Olimma has 28 days to appeal against the decision.