A NURSE who let a patient’s heart alarm sound for 20 minutes without seeking immediate help has been banned from working in critical care for 18 months.

Carl Carrington, 32, who worked at West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds, appeared before the Nursing and Midwifery Council panel this week.

Mr Carrington admitted 14 charges of lack of competence at the hearing, which ended on Thursday.

The panel heard Mr Carrington had connected antibiotics directly to a patient’s heart line in January 2006 and then failed to seek help promptly when a flat-line alarm sounded.

Mr Carrington also admitted failing to challenge another nurse who had diluted a drug which should have been neat in December 2006.

He was also charged with failing in professional conduct, time management and prioritisation as well as care for patients and co-ordinating team work.

The panel ruled Mr Carrington’s fitness to practise was impaired and placed strict conditions on him for 18 months.

“This case is too serious to impose no sanction,” the panel said. “The registrant’s lack of competence could have caused patient harm.”

The hearing was told Mr Carrington, who lives in Leavenheath, near Colchester, had been suffering ill health and stress and was not coping during his time at West Suffolk.

Having left the trust in February 2007, Mr Carrington was currently working as a senior carer at a home to “take stock”, having tried repeatedly to find work within the NHS without success.

The panel said he had admitted the facts and shown genuine regret over his failures.

A conditions of practise order was imposed on Mr Carrington for the next 18 months, preventing him from working in a critical care unit and forcing him to tell the council of any professional nursing work he may undertake.