Lancashire care home nurse who falsified records and didn't record falls is suspended

Anna Preyzner was employed at Lakeland View Care Centre in Heysham at the time of the incidents in March 2021, but a hearing of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) was only concluded on January 20, 2026.

A panel found her fitness to practice impaired, and said she fell “seriously short of the conduct and standards expected of a nurse”.

What were the allegations?

The panel heard allegations that between March 27-28, 2021, Mrs Preyzner:

- Failed to accurately record one or more falls in relation to Resident A

- Failed to adequately handover information to the day staff, in relation to Resident A’s fall(s)

- Inaccurately recorded temperature readings for one or more colleagues, during Covid-19 safety measures

- And that her conduct related to the temperature readers was dishonest, in that she knew she had neither taken, observed, nor been told their temperature readings.

How did it come to light?

The panel heard that the temperature reading concerns had been raised when a member of staff went to take their own second reading of the shift and noticed that Mrs Preyzner had already filled out the sheet, despite the fact that they had yet to take the reading. The member of staff mentioned this to another colleague who then went to check the chart and saw that a reading had been recorded next to their name also, even though they had yet to take their reading.

During the same shift, it is alleged that Resident A lost their balance and fell. This was witnessed by at least one member of staff, who alerted Mrs Preyzner. Approximately 30 minutes later, it is alleged that Resident A fell a second time. Mrs Preyzner allegedly recorded on Resident A’s body map, and an incident form, that they were found sitting on the floor, when in fact they were lying on the floor.

Mrs Preyzner also allegedly failed to record on the body map or incident form that Resident A had fallen on two occasions. It is the first occasion that Mrs Preyzner allegedly failed to record and failed to report the information accurately in Resident A’s daily care notes, stating that Resident A had ‘put themself on the floor’. Further, Mrs Preyzner was allegedly found to have failed to record the earlier fall at all and did not share with colleagues at the handover that Resident A had fallen twice and had subsequently needed a wheelchair.

Decision

With witness evidence and a written acceptance from Mrs Preyzner that she knew it was not acceptable to record a temperature she had not taken, the panel found all of the allegations proven against her.

A report issued last week says that the panel was of the view that Mrs Preyzner’s actions did fall “significantly short of the standards expected of a registered nurse”, that she was in breach of several codes, and it “considered that an act of dishonesty during the Covid-19 pandemic was particularly serious as it increased the risk of potential harm to residents and staff.”

Acknowledged wrongdoing

The panel said that Mrs Preyzner’s misconduct had brought the nursing profession’s reputation into disrepute, but considered that the misconduct could be remedied. The report added that this was an isolated spontaneous incident, there was no personal gain for Mrs Preyzner, there was no evidence of a deep-seated attitudinal issue, and she had acknowledged her wrongdoing and demonstrated a level of insight and remorse.

However, the panel considered that there was no evidence before it to suggest that Mrs Preyzner has taken sufficient steps to address and remediate the misconduct in this case and that there was a risk of repetition, even though she has not been working as a nurse for five years and says she has no intention to return.

Sanction

The panel decided to make a suspension order for a period of six months. The effect of this order is that the NMC register will show that Mrs Preyzner’s registration has been suspended.

The panel determined that this order was appropriate to mark the seriousness of the misconduct and would allow Mrs Preyzner time to strengthen her practice and demonstrate further insight. At the end of the period of suspension, another panel will review the order. At the review hearing the panel may revoke the order, or it may confirm the order, or it may replace the order with another order.