SA Police investigate former Bene Aged Care Italian Village nurse over elderly St Agnes residents incidents
An Adelaide nurse is under investigation for incidents involving elderly patients in her care at a nursing home. She has denied any wrongdoing.
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An Adelaide nurse is being investigated over claims she attacked elderly nursing home patients in her care.
Detectives have launched a police probe after two residents, believed to be aged in their late 80s, were last month allegedly “assaulted” at the Bene Aged Care Italian Village, at St Agnes.
The registered nurse who asked not to be named, was suspended after an internal investigation was launched but later quit.
She denies wrongdoing. No charges have been laid.
But amid an ongoing police investigation ahead of a gala dinner on Saturday night to celebrate the care organisation’s 50th anniversary, the married nurse is still free to work, official records show.
Her four-year registration licence, which was granted in 2021, is still active and has no recorded adverse findings, according to Australia’s medical watchdog.
The north-eastern suburbs aged care home, billed as a “leafy safe haven of 163 residential care accommodations”, is facing questions about its standard of care.
It is the second major incident to hit Bene, founded in 1974, after opioid drugs mysteriously vanished at one of its Adelaide Hills facilities at Hahndorf in December.
The two incidents are not related.
The nurse, who is working at a different aged care home, late on Friday insisted she gave the residents Covid-19 rapid tests as she held their heads. Police have yet to interview her.
“They (management) called me in, as they suspected me,” she said.
“They asked me to resign from the home. I only gave a Covid test.
“I have not done it intentionally. It was on the camera but it was not hard. They said the residents were distressed.”
Eastern District officers are investigating claims of an attack on the elderly woman and man, who have not been identified, inside the St Agnes facility in early February.
It is understood police were called in several days later after a review of security for another reason uncovered questionable conduct.
No ambulances were called. Details on any injuries are unknown.
In response to inquiries, a police spokeswoman said Eastern District officers were investigating.
“On Thursday 6 February, police were notified of two alleged assaults at an Eastern Suburbs Aged Care Facility,” she said.
“Police are investigating the incidents.”
The nurse, who studied at various higher education institutions including the University of South Australia, is due to have her licence expire in May, according to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.
A spokeswoman for Bene, which the Italian Benevolent Foundation SA owns, on Friday declined to answer questions about why the worker quit or if families were notified.
“Bene is continuing to support ongoing external investigations by relevant authorities including SA Police, in relation to the conduct of a former employee while they were providing client care services,” she said.
“The employee was stood down immediately after Bene became aware of the matter and an internal investigation (was) undertaken.
“As a result, the employee is no longer working for Bene.
“We are committed to the care and wellbeing of our clients and ensuring compliance with all relevant policies and procedures.”
She declined further comment “as it is subject to external investigations”.
An Ahpra spokesman said he could not comment on individual cases “except to the extent that information is otherwise in the public domain”.
“Anyone who has concerns about a registered health practitioner is encouraged to contact Ahpra,” he said.
An SA Ambulance spokeswoman said no records were found about paramedics being dispatched to the facility for such an incident.
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Originally published as SA Police investigate former Bene Aged Care Italian Village nurse over elderly St Agnes residents incidents
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