Nurse struck off for drinking alcohol at work

A nurse who was caught drinking at work and offering alcoholic drinks to her colleagues has been struck off the nursing register.

Jenny Steer was the clinical lead at Country View Nursing Home in Kettering, Northamptonshire.

She drank alcohol while on shift and in the presence of colleagues between December 2019 and July 2020, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) heard.

Miss Steer did not attend the hearing, but apologised in a written submission to a previous hearing.

She was originally suspended for a year a by a NMC panel on 22 November 2023.

In its report, the panel found "Miss Steer's "misconduct in 'normalising' the drinking of alcohol on duty was a serious breach of... professional standards".

Miss Steer told the panel in writing "she had made a mistake by drinking alcohol on shift and offering alcoholic drinks to her colleagues".

She also expressed remorse for her actions, the panel said.

A review into the suspension order carried out by the NMC on 4 November heard she ceased to practise as a nurse in 2020.

It concluded she would to "liable to repeat" the same behaviour if she returned to nursing.

The panel issued a striking-off order, which will come into effect on 20 December, when the original suspension was due to end.