Nurse is cautioned over threat

Nomantungwa Matilda Mncwabe, 68, worked at Woodbank Nursing Home when the incident happened in March 2006.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council heard she used abusive language to an elderly resident and acted in a threatening way - holding a pillow above his head.

The NMC accepted the incident happened in the context of extreme provocation and verbal abuse towards the nurse.

It also said Mrs Mncwabe was suffering from other personal stresses in her life at the time and had a good work history and no disciplinary record prior to the incident.

The hearing in Belfast was told that although vulnerable, the resident, referred to as TD, "had presented the entire staff of the home with challenging behaviour".

Mrs Mncwabe was also found to have displayed physical aggression to him - throwing two pillows at his head and told a care assistant: "If I had a knife I would kill TD", or words to that effect.

NMC spokesperson, Leila Harris said: "In light of all the evidence, the panel agreed that a two-year caution order was the appropriate sanction."