A FORMER Basildon Hospital nurse who left sick children unsupervised and failed to give medication to a baby with meningitis has been banned from practising for a year.

Titilola Orefuwa also left the room as a needle was being inserted into an infant's spine, meaning the procedure had to be repeated, causing the child stress and pain.

Ms Orefuwa was supposed to catch fluid from the baby while a registrar carried out a lumbar puncture on the patient, who was being held by a student nurse, but left the room as the needle was going in, a tribunal in central London heard.

Following last week's hearing, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) said the panel had considered striking Ms Orefuwa off but had decided the 12-month suspension more appropriate.

She admitted seven charges in total carried out while a staff nurse between January 2006 and April 2010.

Ms Orefuwa admitted refusing a request by a senior nurse to change wards, replying that she was "pissed off" and would go home instead. She is also said to have used the word "f***".

The nurse also admitted leaving a child who needed constant monitoring in the care of a hospital porter.

The child needed supervision as he was under sedation and was waiting for an MRI scan.

Ms Orefuwa also admitted failing to respond to a baby's monitor alarm after not looking after the patient properly during her shift.

Ms Orefuwa also admitted administering drugs through a drip and giving insulin to a patient on April 23 2010 while banned from administering medication.

She has 28 days to appeal over the decision.