A NURSE who did not properly monitor the injured foot of a pensioner who died the next day has been suspended for six months.

Janet Eruvbetere, 58, who worked at the Peartree Care Centre, in Sydenham Road, Sydenham, admitted a catalogue of failings.

The Catford woman claimed she was "extremely busy" dealing with visiting health officials while attending to the elderly man.

She admitted failing to complete a wound chart or body mapping chart, or taking a picture of the injury after examining the patient's foot.

A Nursing and Midwifery Council hearing on August 15 was told Ms Eruvbetere had been warned about failing to keep proper records less than a year before.

The pensioner was taken to the centre on January 26, 2006, after he injured his foot on his wife's wheelchair while taking her to the toilet.

He died the next morning after suffering breathing difficulties throughout the night.

Although the panel ruled Ms Eruvbetere should have kept accurate records, panel chairman Kathleen McLean told the hearing the nurse deserved just a six-month suspension because she was under "great pressure".

She said: "Although the registrant's failures could have caused a patient harm it did not.

"She made immediate admissions to the facts alleged, and showed insight into her failings. This was not an isolated incident, but it was not deliberate.

"The registrant intended to make the records as soon as she could. We accept that the registrant has expressed genuine regret and apology.

"She acted in the way that she did because of great pressure of work but she did not seek help."

Although Ms Eruvbetere admitted not taking a picture of the pensioner's wound, the panel ruled the charge could not be proved because hospital cameras were all broken.

The panel previously heard one of Ms Eruvbetere's colleagues saying he saw the patient's wound "oozing".

He said Ms Eruvbetere had a caseload of up to 19 patients and would have been under a lot of pressure with three different health visitors looking round the home that day.

Ms Eruvbetere, who qualified as a nurse in November 1977, was not present or represented at the hearing.