A Merseyside nurse who placed “patients at risk of harm” by secretly working two full-time jobs has been cleared to return to the profession. For a period of 10 months, Zwelani Ndlovu took on paid roles on a full-time basis with both Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust and Cygnet Healthcare, while failing to inform either organisation she was working for the other.
Dual employment breach
This was against Cygnet’s working policies, with Ms Ndlovu working day shifts in one job before going on to secretly take on a night shift with the other employer. As a result, she was the subject of a hearing by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). They imposed a sanction of nine months which expired earlier this month. A subsequent review of Ms Ndlovu’s case has deemed she is now able to return to practice.
Hearing details
The initial hearing in October last year was told how between December 2020 and October 2021, the nurse, while in paid employment with both organisations, took full-time roles with the other and did not inform them of her status. Between February and September 2021 she was working in a clinical setting for Cygnet and Mersey Care, which was “placing patients at risk of harm” by her working excessive hours.
A panel found Ms Ndlovu’s actions were dishonest in that she did not disclose her additional employment to either employer in order to obtain improper personal financial gain. It was said Ms Ndlovu’s behaviour displayed a lack of integrity.
NMC report and review
An NMC report said: “You put patients at risk of harm by obtaining and working in two full-time roles, one on a day shift, and one on a night shift, over a significant period of seven months. You supported vulnerable patients throughout your employment with both organisations, and your dual employment was brought to an end only as a result of the whistleblowing complaint. The panel concluded that you brought the nursing profession into disrepute and members of the public would have been alarmed, had they become aware of the facts and the risks these created.”
At a follow-up hearing last month, Roise Hannan, on behalf of Ms Ndlovu, said the suspension order had marked the seriousness of the misconduct and afforded her sufficient time to reflect, develop insight and strengthen her practice. Ms Hannan said her client had effectively served the suspension order and had done everything within her power to demonstrate remorse, regret and remediation. There had been no previous regulatory or disciplinary proceedings against Ms Ndlovu, with no evidence of repeated misconduct.
The panel noted that the original panel found that her dishonesty gave rise to significant attitudinal concerns, concluding that she had prioritised your own interests over those of patients. Last month’s report added: “While you are not currently practising as a registered nurse, the panel was satisfied that the training addressed key nursing principles, including the duty of candour, and was broadly relevant to the misconduct found proved. The panel also noted that you have not been working in any capacity, so have been unable to demonstrate safe practice, but were satisfied that you have made significant progress with appreciating the seriousness and impact of your misconduct.”
As a result, the suspension order has now been allowed to lapse, leaving Ms Ndlovu to return to practice if she chooses to.
