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Nurse Struck Off for Falling Asleep on Duty
8 Feb
Summary
- Nurse Dorothy Onwuteaka was struck off for repeated patient care failures.
- Failures included falling asleep, medication errors, and missed observations.
- She showed no improvement and remained a high risk to the public.
Dorothy Onwuteaka, a nurse from Bournemouth, has been removed from the nursing register following a finding of repeated and extensive failures in patient care. These serious lapses occurred between 2019, the year she qualified, and 2021.
The specific failings included falling asleep during a shift, errors related to medication administration, and delays or omissions in patient observations. Furthermore, she was unable to recognise critical situations requiring immediate escalation of patient care.
A Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) panel reviewed her case, noting a lack of engagement with the regulator since March 2025. The panel found no evidence of training or reflection since her initial suspension in February 2023, which had been extended three times.
Given the severity and volume of concerns, coupled with the absence of any progress, the NMC panel concluded that Onwuteaka continued to pose a high risk to the public. A striking-off order, effective from March 12, was deemed the only measure to protect patients and maintain professional confidence.
