A NURSE pushed an elderly woman into a chair so hard that it left the ground and hit the wall behind.

Jacqueline Davies claimed pensioner Edith Hutchinson had become aggressive, but admitted an "error of judgement" in the force she used to deal with her.

The 46-year-old nurse appeared before magistrates at Evesham yesterday and admitted assaulting 86-year-old Mrs Hutchinson on June 8 last year.

She was given a conditional discharge for 12 months and ordered to pay £118 costs.

Sally Hill, prosecuting, said the incident took place in a lounge at Worcester Christian Nursing Home, London Road, when Mrs Hutchinson objected to the television programme being changed and behaved in "a fairly aggressive fashion".

"Davies turned round, grabbed her by both arms, marched her backwards, pushed her and let her go," said Mrs Hill. "She fell back into a chair with such force the chair lifted off the floor and hit the wall."

Mrs Hill said the two care assistants in the room were very shocked at the way Davies had handled the situation and the level of force used. They reported the incident to the general manager.

Louise Hooker, for Davies, of Cranham Drive, Warndon, Worcester, said she had 26 years' experience as nurse working with psychiatric patients, many of them extremely difficult and challenging individuals.

Mrs Hutchinson was very aggressive and Davies tried to deal with her in an appropriate and professional way to prevent what she thought was going to be an attack by her on one of the carers, in the course of which Davies' arms were clawed.

"It's important to put this matter into context," added Miss Hooker.

"But she accepts it was a little more force than necessary. It was an error of judgement in an unfortunate situation set against the background of a very aggressive patient."

Miss Hooker said as a result Davies had lost her job, her health had deteriorated and she appreciated she could no longer work in such a demanding environment and so was not returning to nursing.