A care home nurse in Cheshire has been suspended for 12 months after a tribunal found she attended work while drunk and required help from colleagues to book a taxi home. Karen Jane Makinson was working at Church House Nursing Home in Nantwich on June 4, 2024, when she was deemed "extremely intoxicated" by a panel from the Nursing and Midwifery Council. The tribunal concluded that her condition put residents at "significant risk of harm," particularly because the home cares for individuals with dementia, those at risk of strokes, and those receiving end-of-life care. Ms Makinson was dismissed from her job on June 14, 2024, but she denied the allegations against her. Colleagues testified that Ms Makinson was laughing at inappropriate things, swaying, and struggling to walk down stairs during her shift. Home manager Robert Hammond said he removed her car keys after she refused to let him drive her home. A senior carer had to assist her in booking a taxi because she could not coordinate her fingers to use her phone. During a probationary interview, Ms Makinson admitted to drinking two glasses of wine at lunch, about eight hours before her shift. She claimed she may have appeared unsteady because she was texting while walking. She also said she couldn’t book a taxi because she wasn’t familiar with a recently downloaded app. The tribunal found her explanation "implausible" and accepted the testimony of her colleagues. The panel concluded that it was more likely than not that Ms Makinson attended work while unfit to perform her duties due to alcohol consumption. They found evidence that she was staggering or swaying while walking, which was deemed a breach of professional standards. The tribunal emphasized that her actions, particularly as the only nurse on duty and in charge of providing clinical care to vulnerable residents, constituted serious misconduct and fell far below the expected standards of a registered nurse. The panel determined that Ms Makinson’s fitness to practice as a nurse was currently impaired and ordered a 12-month suspension. The decision highlights the importance of maintaining professional standards in healthcare, especially in facilities caring for some of the most vulnerable members of society. The case has sparked discussions about the need for strict adherence to workplace policies and the potential consequences of impaired judgment in such critical roles.