Nurse who became infatuated with a patient and was caught kissing him in hospital garden while spending her break times alone with him is struck off
A nurse who became infatuated with a patient and was caught kissing him while spending her break time alone with him in his room has been struck off.
Anita Watson was treating the man, identified as Patient X, while working in Falkirk Community Hospital.
She was reported to bosses at NHS Forth Valley over allegations she kissed the patient, tagged him on a post on Facebook and told a colleague about going on a date with him, spent her breaks alone with him and allowed him to place his hands on her knees.
At a virtual hearing she admitted posting about the man on Facebook, telling a colleague about going on a date and giving him a lift in her car.
Nurse Anita Watson was treating the patient while working in Falkirk Community Hospital
Ms Watson was caught on CCTV kissing the patient but she later claimed she had been fixing a strap on his chair.
On another occasion she tagged the him in a 'flirtatious' post on Facebook and told a colleague at the Falkirk hospital she was going on a date with him.
The nurse, who qualified in 2007, also allowed him to have his hands on her knees while she placed her hands on his.
She was referred to the Nursing and Midwifery Council in November 2018.
The NMC found allegations she spent breaks with him, allowed him to have his hand on her knee and kissed him proved.
They said her conduct between July and October 2018 was sexually motivated because she wanted a future relationship with the patient and ruled she was no longer fit to practise.
In a written ruling, the NMC said: 'Taken individually and collectively, the panel was satisfied that your conduct was sexually motivated in that you intended to pursue a future relationship with Patient X.
'It was of the view that it could safely draw an inference that you were pursuing a future sexual relationship with Patient X, especially in light of the fact that you had exhibited a pattern of such behaviour, for example engaging in a flirtatious Facebook post, kissing Patient X and intending to go on a date with him as well as inappropriate touching.'
They added: 'The panel noted that there was no evidence of actual harm in relation to Patient X, however it was of the view that your past actions could have caused serious emotional harm to him, as well as having the potential to cause harm to other patients on the unit, who may have witnessed what was going on.
'It formed the view that your misconduct had breached the fundamental tenets of the nursing profession and therefore brought its reputation into disrepute.
'Whilst the panel recognises the impact a striking off order will have on you, the panel was satisfied that your interests were outweighed by the public interest.'