A NURSE ‘lost self-control’ when he tackled an elderly Alzheimer’s patient to the floor and shook him, a misconduct hearing was told.

Joseph Montgomery, 50, was found with his hands around the throat of the 80-year-old man by another member of staff, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) heard.

Montgomery had straddled the patient on the floor and vigorously shook him backwards and forwards by his shoulders, it is claimed. Montgomery, of Great Harwood, denies using excessive force.

Salim Hafejee for the NMC said the elderly man had been “extremely vulnerable” when the incident happened at the Mapleford Nursing Home, in Accrington.

He said: “At the time of the incident patient A was 80-years-old, suffered from Alzheimer's and could get depressed as he had a wife at home who could not look after him.

“As a consequence the patient sometimes became agitated and aggressive, and also at times confused.

“It is the council’s case that on any assessment this was a particularly vulnerable patient at a very difficult time in his life.”

Care assistant Rhoda Fennell said she found Montgomery on top of the patient who was lying on his back on the lounge floor, on February 16, 2007.

Montgomery had his hands around the patient's throat and was shaking him, the panel heard.

Miss Fennell said: “Mr Montgomery was on top of patient A. He seemed very angry and annoyed because he was shouting 'why did you punch me, why did you punch me'.

“I had to hold his hand and say 'stop what you're doing'.

“He stood up and then we had to lift patient A up and I told him we should take him to his bed so that he could calm down.

“He was so scared. He kept saying, 'I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry'. At that time he was so shocked he couldn't stand up straight.

“I've never seen something like this where I work - it's the first time. What happened that day, it was very shocking.

“Patient A used to have good days and bad days. Most of the time he was in a very good mood. He was not that kind of person to punch someone.”

Mr Hafajee added: “At Mapleford, mindful of their client's needs, restraint was not as a rule used and on this occasion what the care assistants saw was excessive and inappropriate use of force in circumstances where the nurse had lost self-control.

“Given that the patient was in need of residential and nursing care at a time in his life when he could no longer care for himself or be cared for by his wife, the patient’s family and the public would expect that he would be cared for in a way that was dignified and appropriate.

“To that extent the nurse undermined the trust and confidence the public would have in the profession to provide appropriate care to those most in need of it.”

If found guilty of misconduct, Montgomery, who did not attend the hearing, risks being thrown out of the profession. He was dismissed by the home in February 2007.

In a letter to the NMC in 2007 he denied assaulting the patient.

In his letter, Montgomery said: “Patient A was elderly, shaking, which was obviously suggestive of confusion.

“At the time of the incident he was being aggressive towards me.

“There’s been no assault of patient A by myself or anyone else. I prevented him from falling to the floor heavily.

“I protected his head from injury while I was on the floor and attempted to calm him down. I didn’t shake him or shout at him at any time.”

The hearing continues.