A nurse who was suspended for two years under emergency powers after stealing cannula equipment during a hospital night shift has been given the green light to return to work.

Back in June 2019, the Filipino-trained nurse had placed bungs, cannulas and saline ampules in her handbag to administer to herself a so-called Glutanex Drip — a vitamin and beauty product widely used in the Philippines to whiten the skin.

When the cannula items were spotted by a staff member in the handover room, she originally denied the handbag was hers but then promptly confessed her wrongdoing to the nurse unit manager.

Although she had an unblemished record at that point, two weeks later she was sacked by the Melbourne hospital which then made a notification to AHPRA.