A NURSE has described disciplinary actions by her NHS Borders bosses at 'terrifying’.

Sonia Geddes admitted making a catalogue of errors over a five year period as a Staff Nurse at Haylodge Hospital in Peebles.

But the Band Five staff member put much of the blame onto her bosses who sent her to other hospitals, made her wear an auxiliary uniform and watched over her every move during periods of supervision.

Mrs Geddes was giving evidence at last week’s Nursing and Midwifery Council hearing in Edinburgh.

She told the panel that through choice she hadn’t worked as a registered nurse since 2012 - and was currently employed as a nursing auxiliary.

In summing up the case, the hearing panel stated: “You told the panel that you did not want to be a nurse any more. You stated that you are happy working as a Band Three nurse, and that you feel content, fulfilled and more compassionate in your current role.

“You accepted that you had made mistakes, however you did not want to go back to your previous role as there was too much stress and you did not want to be under the same pressures.

“You informed the panel that the mentoring in your previous role did not always happen as it depended on how busy the ward was at the time. You submitted that the mentoring plan was not as clear or supportive as it could have been, and stated that you have now lost your confidence in your ability to return to work as a registered nurse.

“You told the panel that you had previously been nervous before you attended work as you would be watched over. You stated that it was terrifying, and that you couldn’t think straight, read properly or speak in the circumstances you found yourself in. You submitted that you were more fulfilled in your current position.” The hearing was also told from witnesses that Mrs Geddes had always worked hard but the investigations and mentoring had had an impact upon her.

The first complaint against the nurse came in August, 2006 when she wrongly signed a patient’s drug chart.

During the following five months she also administered the wrong drug to a patient and failed to check a syringe driver.

In 2007 there were a further two incidents of misadministration of drugs as well as giving a family the wrong patient details over the phone.

After the mistakes came to light she was sent on secondment to Hawick Community Hospital for two months by her bosses.

During a disciplinary meeting back in Peebles, she raised her own grievances and was again moved to a different hospital.

But on her return to Haylodge the problems continued.

And towards the end of 2010 further complaints were made by her line manager over sending the wrong blood sample for testing and also administering a drug which had not been prescribed.

A further charge of not complying with an action plan was made against her the following year.

She was dismissed for gross misconduct in March, 2012, but the decision was overturned on appeal.

Last week’s Nursing and Midwifery Council hearing was told: “Her appeal was upheld as the panel agreed with Mrs Geddes’ grounds for appeal, namely that the decision of the disciplinary hearing panel was unnecessarily harsh and did not reflect the failures of the Trust to resolve a capability issue.” Since her reinstatement, Mrs Geddes has continued to work as an auxiliary.

Following last week’s hearing the panel issued a 12-months suspension order to prevent her practising as a Registered Nurse.

The panel concluded: “The panel accepts that Mrs Geddes has some insight into her failings and has demonstrated some remorse for her actions.

“The panel also bore in mind that, on occasion, management at the Trust appeared to undermine Mrs Geddes’ confidence.

“One such example was making her wear an auxiliary uniform whilst on a period of supervision.”