Whitehaven midwife risked electrocuting woman in labour
A Cumbrian midwife who dropped a baby and risked electrocuting a woman in labour has been found guilty of lack of competence and misconduct.
Diana Warwick demonstrated no insight into her limitations as a nurse, the conduct and competence committee of the Nursing and Midwifery Council heard.
It related to a number of incidents in 2005 at the West Cumberland Hospital.
In one case, she used monitoring equipment that was attached to the mains on a woman in a birthing pool.
The 56-year-old, from Whitehaven, also allowed a baby to fall out of the plastic cot and on to the floor, by using her hand to pull the cot and not noticing it slide off the metal frame.
Panel chairman Andrew Coleman said: "The panel has had regard to the totality of its findings against you, which encompass wide-ranging concerns relating to your competence, your awareness of your shortcomings and misconduct.
"All of these matters raise concerns about your safety and reliability."
Ms Warwick also took deodorant from the personal bag of a woman to whom she was providing care and used it herself.
This amounted to misconduct, the panel ruled.
The hearing was adjourned to 7 June to allow Ms Warwick to prepare any further submissions.