A NURSE who repeatedly fell asleep while on duty has been kicked out of the profession.

Karen Falce nodded off during home visits and conferences, a Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) disciplinary panel heard.

The 42-year-old had returned to work as a health visitor with Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley Primary Care Trust in September 2003 after a long absence.

To ease her back into work at Oaks Health Centre, Nightingale Way, Swanley, she was allowed to only work three days a week and was not given any direct responsibilities.

On home visits, she was also told to attend as an observer.

She first took a nap while on an ante-natal visit to an expectant mum on October 8, 2003, with another health visitor.

The visit in the patient's lounge lasted an hour and a quarter.

Nicholas Leale, for the NMC, said: "Towards the end of the visit, her colleague started noticing Falce on several occasions nodding off to sleep and then waking with a start.

"It happened about three or four times.

"On the way home, the colleague raised the subject and Falce said she had difficulty keeping awake in the warmth and on big comfortable sofas."

Falce also found it difficult to stay awake when she joined a different colleague to observe and assist at a home visit six days later to see a new mum.

After having the same problem at a conference, she was told it was unprofessional and she should develop strategies to deal with it.

But Falce dozed off yet again during another conference in Dartford in November 2003.

Diane Corderoy, Falce's line manager, said: "I gave her an opportunity to say if she had any problems at home, like with a child who wasn't sleeping well.

"But she said no, everything was fine."

The NMC found Falce guilty of misconduct after they ruled all four incidents of falling asleep on duty had been proved.

Announcing the decision to strike Falce off with immediate effect, panel chairman NancyKirkland said she posed a "potential risk to members of the public".

She said Falce, from Greenhithe, had also undermined public trust in the profession.