A UK nurse has been suspended for 12 months after a professional panel found she racially and verbally abused a colleague, calling her a “Polish cow,” “stupid old cow,” and an “old woman” during a series of incidents on a London hospital ward.
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) ruled that Cynthia Njoku’s conduct amounted to serious misconduct, describing her behaviour as racist, ageist and fundamentally incompatible with the standards expected of a registered nurse. The panel said her actions fell “seriously short” of professional expectations and constituted bullying within the workplace.
Njoku denied the allegations, insisting she had only supervised the colleague, identified in the hearing as Person A, on two occasions. Evidence presented before the panel indicated repeated hostility and a pattern of degrading remarks while both nurses worked on the respiratory ward at St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington in 2021, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
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Person A told the hearing in October and November that she endured xenophobic behaviour from colleagues, including Njoku, and repeatedly complained to supervisors, but no investigation was carried out. She said being called a “Polish idiot,” “swine nose,” and “old woman” left her feeling anxious, fearful, and reluctant to ask Njoku for help even when patient care required teamwork.
When she reported the incidents to a ward matron, she was told she was taking the matter “too personally,” the NMC heard. Person A said the response left her feeling ignored, undervalued and distressed, and she became reluctant to come to work.
Njoku told the panel she was never frustrated with Person A, but email exchanges between her and the ward matron contradicted this claim, showing clear frustration and difficulties working with the junior colleague. The panel also found it likely Njoku supervised Person A more frequently than she claimed.
The NMC acknowledged the incidents happened during a period of intense pressure on NHS staff but criticised the “poor workplace culture” that allowed the behaviour to continue unchecked. In its written decision, the panel said:
“Your behaviour towards Person A was not kind or compassionate and fell short of what is expected of a senior nurse. The panel considered that your conduct around racism and discrimination was wholly unacceptable and constituted a serious breach of professional standards.”
Despite finding her behaviour reprehensible, the NMC said Njoku posed no clinical risk and noted there were no concerns about her medical competence. However, the panel said her actions may have indirectly jeopardised patient safety because Person A felt unable to seek assistance from her.
The panel dismissed one allegation, that Njoku swore at the junior nurse, but concluded that her denials did not demonstrate full insight. They said her reflective statement showed limited remorse, lacking empathy or appreciation of the psychological impact on her colleague.
The panel also noted that Njoku has faced no further allegations since 2021 and has continued to practise without restrictions. However, the supporting statements submitted on her behalf were described as “generalised,” with some showing no awareness of the misconduct allegations.
Concluding that there was a risk of repetition, the panel imposed a 12-month suspension and gave her 28 days to appeal the decision.
