“You are an evil person”: Nurse Roweena Thompson verbally abuses, assaults elderly patient

A Riverview nurse’s treatment of an elderly dementia patient at an Ipswich care facility was so confronting her assistant had to call for help, a court has heard. CONFRONTING

An Ipswich nurse has faced court for assaulting one of her elderly patients and calling her “an evil person”.

Riverview resident Roweena Thompson, 55, appeared in Ipswich Magistrates Court on one charge of common assault against a person over 60.

The court heard that on April 23, 2021, Thompson was attending to her 78-year-old female patient, Lyal Muller, at the Riverview Gardens Aged Care Centre.

Thompson and a younger assistant nurse attempted to change Ms Muller into her evening clothes and help her shower.

Ms Muller, who suffered from dementia, refused and said she did not want to go to bed.

Thompson attempted to unbutton Ms Muller’s shirt, and Ms Muller grabbed her hand and twisted it.

The court heard that Thompson then told her “it’s no wonder your family put you in here. You are an evil person”.

Thompson and her assistant secured Ms Muller in a hoist mechanism, as the court heard she was a larger woman and they could not physically overpower her.

Ms Muller yelled at her to stop, for help, and told both Thompson and her assistant to get out.

She further called Thompson a b**ch, and slapped her on the back.

Roweena Thompson leaving Ipswich court on July, 7 2021.

Thompson then slapped Ms Muller on the arm multiple times and started controlling the hoist to lift her.

Ms Muller, now swinging in the air and crying, attempted to pull at the emergency cord to lower herself.

Thompson grabbed her arms and held them down to make her stop.

She further placed one hand on Ms Muller’s forehead and one hand on her chin to hold her down.

She told her “no one wants to work with you. It’s your fault”.

At this stage, the assistant nurse left to seek assistance, and the police were called.

Their investigations revealed that Thompson had specific training as part of her employment that made it clear that when dealing with difficult patients, their policy was to disengage, and not to use physical force.

The court heard that when police interviewed Thompson on May 13, she denied any wrongdoing and said she had a “wonderful relationship” with Ms Muller.

Thompson told them she had been gentle and was talking soothingly to Ms Muller, and further said her assistant nurse had sparked the fearful reaction in Ms Muller.

She also claimed the assistant was racist and did not know how to do her job properly.

Despite this initial denial, Thompson pleaded guilty in court to one count of common assault against a person over 60.

The court heard Thompson had lost her job as a result of the incident.

Police prosecutor Brad Dick noted that although Ms Muller experienced no injuries as a result of the incident, Thompson’s actions were “unnecessary and uncalled for”.

“The victim was clearly a vulnerable person who relied on the benefit of her care,” he said.

Mr Dick further noted that Ms Muller had since died. It is not suggested that Thompson’s actions played any role in her death.

Thompson has been a nurse for 30 years, had worked at the Riverview Gardens for a decade, and had cared for Ms Muller for two years prior to the incident.

Thompson’s lawyer Dan Boddice noted Ms Muller was a particularly difficult patient and that there was a “degree of provocation” involved.

He said Thompson is “otherwise a woman of very good character”.

Thompson’s husband and stepson both submitted statements defending her character. They emphasised that Thompson had a difficult job, in a difficult industry.

Magistrate Grace Kahlert said she accepted that Thompson’s offending seemed out of character, but that she had also been “well aware of [Ms Muller’s] vulnerabilities”.

“I accept that she had become physically difficult towards you … however you should have known, as part of your job that that was unfortunately a consequence of her illness.”

Magistrate Kahlert ultimately sentenced Thompson to a 12 month good behaviour bond, with recognisance of $800.

She emphasised that this did not mean Thompson’s actions were not serious offending, but she recognised that there were unusual circumstances.

No convictions were recorded.

Originally published as “You are an evil person”: Nurse Roweena Thompson verbally abuses, assaults elderly patient