Nurse struck off over drug thefts

A veterinary nurse has been struck off after she admitted stealing drugs from practices where she had worked in south-west England.

Dayna Johnson was fined by North Somerset magistrates in December 2023 having admitted the theft of buprenorphine from a practice near Bristol.

But that case was one of four considered in a newly published RCVS disciplinary report, which concluded her actions were “incompatible” with remaining on the register.

Five charges

Miss Johnson faced five separate charges, each of which were admitted in full, during a three-day disciplinary hearing, which took place earlier this month.

Four of the charges related to incidents between December 2022 and November 2023, in which Miss Johnson had stolen drugs, including buprenorphine, gabapentin and methadone, for the purpose of self-administration.

In two of those incidents, including one for which she was cautioned by police, she also admitted working while unfit to do so.

‘Incredibly ashamed’

The report also described CCTV footage shown to the committee that appeared to show her falling asleep over a patient during an operation as “incredibly serious”.

Lawyers for the college argued the incidents collectively amounted to serious professional misconduct, while her criminal conviction had rendered her unfit to practice.

During the investigation process, Miss Johnson told the college she was “incredibly ashamed” of her actions and offered to resign from the register.

She later rescinded that offer, instead pledging to abide by any disciplinary conclusion reached against her.

Apologised

But, while she apologised to the college, her former employers and colleagues during evidence at the hearing, she urged the committee to suspend her from the register, rather than removing her permanently, arguing she had been drug-free since December 2023.

The report said written evidence including a signed voluntary agreement to work with Vetlife, as well as several references, were submitted on her behalf.

But the committee also heard Miss Johnson had been dismissed from her most recent employment with a health care services company for gross misconduct following an investigation into missing tablets, though she denied taking any drugs from the firm.