A NURSE stood by as a patient whose heart had stopped beating faced death.

That is the key allegation against Anna Kacvmarek, who is said to have failed to perform even basic life support for the patient, who had suffered a cardiac arrest during the night at Monklands Hospital in Lanarkshire.

It is claimed she did not press the emergency buzzer to alert staff and ignored requests to get an emergency trolley for the patient in the coronary care unit.

Papers from the Nursing and Midwifery Council at this week's hearing say the nurse "did not assist staff in providing any emergency care" to the patient, including failing to remove suction equipment from a plastic bag.

Delay in starting CPR can result in a person suffering permanent damage to the brain and other organs.

The incident is said to have happened on February 5 and 6 2012 in Ward 18 of the hospital.

Ms Kacvmarek was employed by the hospital as a bank nurse.

She was suspended by the Nursing and Midwifery Council following the incident on February 5 and 6, 2012 while an investigation by NHS Lanarkshire got under way.

But according to the allegation published by the hearing, the nurse is then said to have got a job working at Rosepark Care Home, in Uddingston, without telling her employers she was under investigation by the health board and the NMC. She then worked six shifts between May 8 and 22 while suspended as registered nurse.

The nurse is appearing before the NMC this week, with the outcome of the hearing expected tomorrow.

A spokesman for NHS Lanarkshire said the board would not comment on the allegations about Anna Kacvmarek until the outcome of the hearing was known.

The Evening Times approached Rosepark Care Home but the owners declined to comment.

The care home she worked at was the scene of a major blaze on January 31 2004, which claimed the lives of 14 elderly residents.

A Fatal Accident Inquiry ruled that the fire could have been prevented by a "suitable" fire safety plan.

caroline.wilson @eveningtimes.co.uk