Mental health nurse suspended for having sex with vulnerable patient

A nurse from a mental health institution has been suspended for engaging in sexual relations with a vulnerable patient from the department where he worked. He visited the patient at home, had sexual intercourse with her, and sent her sexually explicit messages and a photo of his genitals on WhatsApp. He also stole the strong sedative lorazepam to give it to her. This was deemed severely inappropriate behavior by the disciplinary tribunal in Amsterdam.

The nurse, born in 1989, has been suspended for twelve months, six of which are conditional. During this period, he is not allowed to work in healthcare. He is also required to undergo therapy with a psychologist specializing in mental health.

The disciplinary tribunal did not disclose the name of the institution where the man was employed. He began working at the mental health clinic in September 2021. The then 24-year-old woman was admitted to his department in December of that year. The patient reported the nurse's behavior to a staff member in January.

During his conversations with a supervisor, the nurse initially denied the allegations, but he later confessed. He was then fired immediately. According to the disciplinary tribunal, there are 300 pages of screenshots of sexually explicit chat messages between them.

The disciplinary tribunal is deeply concerned about the nurse's transgressions, especially with a vulnerable woman, and his initial denial. "At no point – neither during the sexual relationship nor afterward – did the nurse seem to consider the well-being of the patient entrusted to his care," the tribunal said.

During the hearing, the man stated that he no longer works in mental health care but switched to providing home care for terminally ill patients.