Retrainingorder overbaby left in soiled cot

Dawn Henry, 36, who worked on a children’s ward at Leeds General Infirmary, also complained about the smell of a seven-year-old boy she left on a bedpan.

The staff nurse, from Liversedge, West Yorkshire, was found guilty of seven misconduct charges by the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

A disciplinary panel in London decided Ms Henry had shown a “lack of respect” to the two “vulnerable children” during a single night shift in January 2008 but decided not to ban her from working as a nurse.

The tribunal heard she had a 12-year unblemished disciplinary record, was sacked from her job and had been suspended from nursing for two years.

The panel, which imposed an 18-month conditions of practice order, ruled Ms Henry needed retraining in record keeping, maintaining the “dignity” of patients and communication skills.

It had heard she was on night duty on the ward on January 20, 2008 when other members of staff became concerned about her work. Fellow nurse Laura Osborne, who took over on the day shift, said the seven-year-old boy who had undergone bowel surgery had been left on the bedpan for “a good couple of hours”.

Ms Henry also left a five-month-old baby in a cot “saturated with urine”. The baby’s clothes and blanket were wet and his cot was marked where urine had been left to dry.

Seven charges of misconduct made against Ms Henry, who was not at the hearing, were found proven, including speaking inappropriately to a colleague about the boy. An eighth allegation, which related to monitoring the seven-year-old at four-hourly intervals, was not proven.

The tribunal heard that Ms Henry admitted in a letter becoming “complacent” and spoke of her deep regret for her actions.