A mental health nurse who said she would have “drowned one of her patients at birth” has been struck off.
Kathleen Warmington also said that another vulnerable female patient should be “taken to the vet’s and put down”.
She was permanently suspended by the Nursing and Midwifery Council after being found guilty of serious misconduct.
The community mental health practitioner, who worked in Northamptonshire, admitted making several “inappropriate comments” between August and November 2022.
She was suspended for an initial 18 months, which will be replaced with a permanent suspension, although she can choose to appeal.
The hearing was told Mrs Warmington’s conduct became a cause for concern after numerous comments about patients and colleagues.
‘Get a grip’
While speaking about one patient, she said “take her to the vet’s and get her put down”. She said another man “overthinks” and needed “to get a grip”.
The nurse told another colleague “if she were my daughter, I would’ve drowned her at birth”, in reference to someone who had been entrusted into her care.
She also said to another that “being miserable is a choice” and said “I’m not a fan of that” when discussing ADHD with a patient.
The nurse, who had 20 years’ experience in mental health, called another patient a “naughty girl”, and said she was lucky to be given her medication.
She told a colleague to “kiss my white a—”, a comment she said she made as “banter” in an attempt to fit in after moving from a private hospital.
Mrs Warmington also suggested a patient could go to a crisis house, even though doing so was not considered clinically appropriate. After being told such an admission would not be permitted, she told the user that no beds were available at the crisis house, even though this was false.
The panel concluded Mrs Warmington’s fitness to practice was impaired and she had committed misconduct.
Giving their reasons for the decision, the panel wrote: “Mrs Warmington’s actions were significant departures from the standards expected of a registered nurse, and are fundamentally incompatible with her remaining on the register.
“Mrs Warmington’s apparent lack of insight suggests a real risk of repetition putting patients at future risk of harm.”
