A home-help nurse who was caught on a hidden camera stealing money from a 97-year-old, wheelchair-bound patient has been struck off by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland.
The board's decision to cancel the registration of Edel Maria Fitzgerald was confirmed earlier this month by the High Court. Ms Fitzgerald was found guilty of professional misconduct at a fitness-to-practise hearing last year in relation to the theft of money from Elizabeth O'Callaghan, who has since died.
The thefts came to light when Ms O’Callaghan’s daughter placed hidden cameras in her mother’s bedroom, which showed Ms Fitzgerald taking €50 sums belonging to Ms O’Callaghan on a number of occasions.
Ms Fitzgerald, a psychiatric nurse from Tralee and long- time family friend of the O’Callaghans, was arrested in April 2014 and taken to the local Garda station, where she made a statement admitting the thefts. She resigned from her employer, Home Instead, which thought she left because of inadequate hours.
Complaint
Later, Ms O’Callaghan’s family was shocked to learn Ms Fitzgerald was still working as a nurse for the Health Service Executive, and her granddaughter, Linda O’Callaghan, made a complaint to the nursing board.
CCTV footage was played at the fitness-to-practise hearing showing Ms Fitzgerald settling the pillows for Ms O’Callaghan in her bed. While talking to the 97-year-old, she removed her wallet from its hiding place in one of the pillows, took out a note and placed it in her left pocket. She then put back the wallet and finished settling the pillows.
Ms Fitzgerald repaid the O’Callaghans €3,800 in the months that followed the discovery of her theft.
In a separate case, psychiatric nurse Ann Maria Gillooly has been struck off after a finding of professional misconduct was made against her.
Ms Gillooly faced a range of allegations relating to her role as person in charge/director of nursing at a nursing home in 2009-2010. Among the allegations found to have been proved were failures to manage the home safely, keep records and ensure the residents were cared for appropriately.
