A Waikato Hospital nurse who stole 5,000 vials of the same anaesthetic that killed pop star Michael Jackson kept her nurses uniform and swipe card after her employment ended so she could keep stealing to feed her addiction.

Peta Lee Millar, 53, appeared in the Hamilton District Court before Judge Philip Connell on Tuesday, who sentenced her to 220 hours of community work.

Nurse Peta Lee Millar, 53, has been convicted of stealing prescription drugs from Waikato Hospital. Photo: File

"You have taken advantage of your position in the hospital ... You have badly let down your colleagues ... You have brought great shame on yourself," Judge Connell told her.

"Nurses ... have to trust each other. An aggravating feature is how she has let her colleagues down."

As well as the community work and 12 months' supervision, Connell ordered Millar to pay the health board $5,000 in reparation for the medication she stole, which was worth $7,000.

Half of that reparation had to be paid immediately. Millar also has to undergo alcohol and drug assessment as part of her supervision.

Now popularly known as "Jackson Juice", Propofol Provive is a short-term general anaesthetic.

It was one of a cocktail of drugs pop star Jackson was taking when he died. Jackson's doctor, Conrad Murray, was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter after administering a dose to help him sleep, then leaving him unattended.

Jackson's death on June 25, 2009, was caused by "acute propofol intoxication" in combination with two sedatives, the Los Angeles County coroner ruled.

Millar was facing two charges: One count of stealing 5,000 vials of Propofol Provive, the property of the Waikato District Health Board, between February 1, 2012 and November 10, 2014; and one count of entering a Waikato Hospital medication room without authority and with the intent of committing an imprisonable offence between November 11, 2014, and April 28, 2015.

The two charges carried a maximum penalty of seven years and 10 years imprisonment respectively.

The court heard that Millar had sought counselling for anxiety and stress in early 2012 and had thereafter begun to take the drugs from a medicine room at the hospital, to which she had access. She had concealed boxes of the drug in her bag and taking them home, at least once a week.

Millar's employment was terminated in November 2014, however she failed to hand back her nurses uniform or her swipe card and kept going back to the hospital to procure more of the drug - "technically committing burglary," Connell said.

She did this 16 times until she was finally caught on April 27 this year. Her home was subsequently searched by the police and evidence of the extent of her offending uncovered.

Connell took note of Millar's remorse and the fact she had no previous convictions, and that her offending had been committed as a result of her addiction.

"There is room for some compassion and sympathy for your position ... You are publicly shamed as a result."

He also took heed of a "very positive" restorative justice conference Millar had taken part in with her former colleagues.

Millar's counsel Mike Curran acknowledged that she had raised much ire among those DHB staff members, who had to endure a dramatic increase in security measures and scrutiny from management.

An application by the Waikato Times to take photos of Millar in court was turned down by the judge.

- Stuff