Nurse suspended over sex with heart transplant patient

A nurse who began a sexual relationship with a seriously ill patient has been suspended for a year.

Rebecca Bayliss, aged 19, from Walsall, had an affair with a patient who was suffering from cystic fibrosis and awaiting a heart and lung transplant at Birmingham Heartlands Hospital.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council found Bayliss guilty of having a sexual relationship with the patient, who was referred to only as Patient A, or not telling her manager about the affair and of ignoring instructions to stay away from him.

The council heard that Bayliss had even joked about giving the patient more oxygen so she could have sex with him.

But Patient A told a clinical psychologist about the affair and hospital management called her to a meeting on May 23, 2008. Patient A later told NHS investigators he 'could have done without the stress' and the episode 'certainly didn't help my recovery.'

Bayliss's fitness to practise was also found to be impaired, but she was suspended for just 12 months after the NMC panel ruled she was a 'competent' nurse.

Salim Hefejee, for the NMC, told the hearing the vulnerable patient was suffering from a 'significant illness' at the time of the affair.

She said: "The turmoil of the relationship had an adverse affect on him, causing him unnecessary stress and upset at a time when what he needed and expected from those entrusted with his care was an environment conducive to protecting and supporting his health.

"She was clearly advised and instructed on her responsibilities and duties as a nurse.

"She was on clear and unequivocal notice that she was under a duty to inform her managers. The continuing failure after the meeting of 23 May is to be viewed as an aggravating feature."

Another co-worker, Laura Barlow, said Bayliss would visit Patient A, who was married with children, on her days off and even took him out to the cinema. She said he was 'very sick' at the time.

After she had been moved to another ward, Bayliss telephoned Miss Barlow and "admitted she had been having a relationship with him", the panel heard.

She said: "She said that it was a physical relationship, a sexual relationship.

"She said that she had fallen in love. I was totally shocked.

"I didn't really believe it because I didn't think Patient A was well enough to engage in any sort of relationship like that. I felt quite sick."

Imposing a 12-month suspension order, chairman Franklyn Baker said: "Although the relationship was consensual, the patient was particularly vulnerable by reason of his serious condition.

"Moving the focus of care to her own needs was an unacceptable abuse of power.

"Her actions had the potential to cause emotional harm to the patient. This was serious and amounts to conduct that is unworthy of a nurse."