A nurse who turned up for work so heavily under the influence of drugs that she was unable to hold a conversation claimed she was on slimming pills.
Lisa Cunningham repeatedly reported for duty in the gynaecology ward at Forth Park Hospital, Kirkcaldy, with slurred speech and one colleague said she was “off her face”.
The previously competent and capable nurse allowed one patient’s oxygen cylinder to run out and discharged another whom she was told was unfit to be released.
Following a hearing in Edinburgh last week, Ms Cunningham, who was sacked by NHS Fife, was struck off the register of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), banning her from practising as a nurse.
An NMC competence and conduct committee found her guilty of her serious misconduct.
It said: “Ms Cunningham’s failings put patients at risk and had the potential to cause patient harm. She clearly breached the code of conduct and her actions could have had serious consequences for those under her care.”
Ms Cunningham was absent from the hearing but in a written statement claimed she had been taking slimming pills, eating little and going through a difficult period in her personal life.
She began working at Forth Park, which closed down a year ago, in 2002 and colleagues raised concerns in 2005 when her behaviour became erratic and her attitude and demeanour changed.
A senior charge nurse told the NMC committee Ms Cunningham had previously taken pride in her appearance but in November 2005 she began arriving on shift with her uniform unironed and her hair unwashed.
She attended for duty at the hospital four times under the influence of drugs, in November 2005 and February and April 2007. She also repeatedly turned up for work late and disappeared from the ward without informing colleagues.
During one absence of an hour and a half, Ms Cunningham had failed to transfer a patient from a temporary to a permanent oxygen supply and failed to hand her care over to another nurse.
Another nurse then saw the empty oxygen cylinder and told the committee the lack of oxygen could have had serious consequences as the patient was on morphine, which can affect the respiratory system.
When Ms Cunningham returned, a colleague described her as agitated and swaying, and said her speech was slurred and she appeared to be finding it difficult to concentrate on their conversation.
Referring to Ms Cunningham’s admission she had been taking slimming pills, the committee said: “This could have had an effect on her ability to function properly.”
While Ms Cunningham, who has not worked as a nurse since 2007, had apologised to colleagues, the committee said there was no evidence of remediation.
It concluded: “It is not appropriate for Ms Cunningham to remain on the register without restriction. Her actions put patients at unwarranted risk of harm and she has breached fundamental tenets of the profession.”