AN “irresponsible” nurse caught sleeping on duty at a York care home during a surprise inspection has been banned for a year.

Achen Ato admitted falling asleep while she was in charge of 25 elderly patients at Amelia House Care Home in Coningham Avenue, Rawcliffe.

Ato could have put the ‘vulnerable’ patients at serious risk of harm if there had been an emergency while she napped, the Nursing and Midwifery Council heard.

Alison Boyle, the deputy home manager, found Ato asleep in the early hours of January 28, 2009.

During her unannounced visit, Mrs Boyle also discovered Ato had left medication keys unattended on a counter at the nurses’ station, with no staff in sight.

Ato also failed to ensure the medication room was secure at all times, after Mrs Boyle told how she found it ajar.

The NMC found Ato guilty of misconduct relating to three separate allegations and ruled that her fitness to practice was impaired.

NMC panel chair, Sheila Hewitt, told Ato: “Your actions fall short of the standards expected of a registered nurse.

“To be asleep on duty, particularly when you were the sole registered nurse and responsible for the care and well- being of 25 vulnerable patients, some of whom required constant care due to their condition, does amount to misconduct.

“If there was an emergency while you were asleep there was the potential to put patients at risk with serious adverse consequences.

“Leaving the keys to the medication room unattended is a serious issue and a breach of the home’s policy, which you said you were aware of.

“There were a variety of drugs in the medication room that could have been accessed by patients or unauthorised persons.

“The panel is of the view that this was irresponsible and neglectful, and had the potential to put patient safety at risk.”

Handing her a 12-month suspension order, Ms Hewitt added: “We took into account that you have shown some insight into your failings regarding falling asleep while on duty and that you admitted this at the start of the hearing.

“However, there was potential for patient harm and it was not isolated, as although the incidents took place during one shift, they involve three separate matters.

“Your misconduct is not fundamentally incompatible with remaining on the register and the panel finds a suspension order for 12 months is appropriate.

“The duration of this order reflects the seriousness of the findings against you and that is the proportionate response.”