A CARE home nurse in charge of frail dementia patients was so drunk she had to hold onto a door, an inquiry was told.

A member of staff told how Carol Jardine was "staggering and using a door to keep herself upright" while checking on an elderly resident.

The incident happened while Ms Jardine was working a night shift at Crosslaw House Care Home in Lanark and the only nurse on duty.

Staff alerted care home bosses the next day and she was suspended and later resigned from her job.

During an inquiry the nurse admitted working while under the influence of alcohol during two night shifts on May 21/22 and 22/23 and said it was "a decision she would regret for the rest of her life."

An inquiry by the Nursing and Midwifery Council was told that the nurse was seen repeatedly leaving the home to go to her car. On one occasion she returned with a bottle of flavoured water.

Another member of staff took a sip from the bottle, when it was left unattended, and discovered it was alcohol and kept a sample of the drink to show managers.

The inquiry was told that the nurse was experiencing personal problems at the time and had shown remorse for her actions.

In a statement she said: "With hindsight I should have called in sick. I decided to attend for my shifts as I thought I could cope.

"This is a decision, I will regret for the rest of my life.

"Although I managed to get through the shift with no one being harmed and no errors were made, I dread to think what could have happened and I think about it every day."

The nurse was suspended for nine months, and avoided a tougher sanction, "because she had demonstrated remorse and insight into her misconduct" and previous testimonials from bosses were all positive.

She was given an 18-month interim suspension and is entitled to appeal.