A NURSE was yesterday cleared of failing to get help when a terminally ill patient fell into a critical state.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council had been told that Gillian Simpson, 40, did not get assistance when the 68-year-old man began passing low levels of urine after an operation on a broken arm

The patient in the Friarage Hospital, Northallerton, North Yorkshire, suffered renal failure from a massive fluid-overload as his condition worsened over a six-hour period.

Ms Simpson had denied failing to call for assistance, and yesterday she was cleared of the charge after a three-day hearing.

However, Ms Simpson did admit misconduct by failing to promptly record post-operative observations for the patient on charts.

The hearing was told she had scrawled a few basic notes on a piece of paper and kept them in her pocket. She wrote them up at the end of her shift.

She also admitted taking a painkiller tablet from the hospital for her own use.

Ms Simpson also pleaded guilty to wrongly saying she had completed a teaching and assessment course.

Chairman of the council the Reverend William Buxton told her: "You failed to safeguard and promote the interests of individual patients.

"You failed to serve the interests of society and failed to justify public trust and confidence.

"You failed to uphold and enhance the good standing of the profession.

"The committee has decided to give you a caution as to your future conduct.

"It is a very serious matter to be found guilty of misconduct.

"You must understand the committee does not condone or excuse your actions in any way."

Ms Simpson received a caution, which will remain on her records for five years.

The mother-of-two now works as a nurse for a GP's surgery at an undisclosed location.