An NHS nurse was sacked after refusing to wear a mask when visiting elderly patients during the Covid pandemic.
Ellie Louise Bennett declined to wear a mask "until someone can prove Covid exists" and claimed she was medically exempt.
Bennett, who specialised in end-of-life care, was sanctioned by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) panel last week but not barred from nursing.
She was sacked by Blackpool Victoria Hospital in 2023 and received a nine-month conditions of practice order, with seven conditions, including undergoing recognised infection control training.
A report by the NMC said she had not worked as a nurse since her dismissal.
Bennett conceded that she should have held a meeting with her line manager to explain her self-exemption, which she obtained privately through a GP.
She told the hearing: "At no stage was I trying to cause any trouble.
"I understand that the trust is continuously doing what they can to ensure the public feel safe and secure."
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|Ellie Louise Bennett declined to wear a mask
The panel heard Bennett had worked for the Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust since 2019, working as a district nurse.
In the role, she would work on end-of-life palliative care, conduct injections, wound care as well as do catheter changes.
Between February 14 and March 2022, she visited 56 patients.
Out of the 56, 52 of whom were aged over 75 and were extremely clinically vulnerable due to their health conditions.
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|Blackpool Victoria Hospital
The report noted that: "During the local informal investigation meeting... on March 28, 2022, Bennett confirmed that she refused to wear a mask unless 'someone can prove covid [sic] exists' or 'if its [sic] law, not guidance'.
"She claimed to be medically exempt from wearing PPE but refused to provide a medical exemption letter from her GP."
The nurse admitted to the NMC panel that on one or more occasions between February 14, 2022, and March 21, 2022, she did not wear a face mask when visiting patients.
She also admitted that she did not provide a a medical exemption letter or "in a timely manner".
The disciplinary panel found her fitness to practice was "impaired" by her misconduct.
However, it also said: "The panel was of the view that it was in the public interest that, with appropriate safeguards, Miss Bennett should be able to return to practise as a nurse."
A panel review hearing will assess how well Bennett has complied with the order before it expires.
The review may revoke the order, confirm or vary it, or replace it with another one.