Nurse's 'naughty knickers' were on eBay

LONDON, Oct. 28 (UPI) -- A British nurse who used her hospital e-mail address to sell her underwear on eBay could be barred from hospital premises, officials said.

Sheena McMillan's side business came to the attention of authorities at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth when an automatic alert system picked up an e-mail headlined "Naughty Knicks," The Sun reported. That was a reference to the British term for panties, knickers.

The business was clearly catering to sexual fetishists, since McMillan offered clean underwear for 20 pounds ($32) and dirty underwear for 23 pounds ($37).

The Nursing and Midwifery Council heard testimony Tuesday on McMillan's business. Sarah Page, speaking for the council, said that the messages were clearly inappropriate and that eBay bidders would have realized that the knickers were being sold by a registered nurse.

The council referred the case to its health committee.

McMillan, who was not at the hearing, argues that whatever she did has nothing to do with her ability to carry out her duties as a staff nurse.