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Mrs Harry, who attended the hearing yesterday, was alleged to have exposed patients to risk and danger and overseen poor standards of record keeping, hygiene, cleanliness and patient dignity as well as shouting at staff.

It was also claimed that she made misleading claims that nursing vacancies were being filled, and advising the trust that proposed cost savings would not harm patient safety or care.

When asked by the panel if she had inquired about the availability of a bed by asking "whether anyone was going to go to heaven", Mrs Harry replied: "I am not sure if those were the words I used but it was a question that was asked.

"It does seem to be hard, but if we knew there was someone within a period of time known to be dying ... at the end of the day the care people would receive would be as it should be, but we needed to know if there was the capacity or space of a bed."

Mrs Harry admitted she had been abrupt in some dealings with staff, but added that she had been given coaching to help her improve her manner.

"Sometimes I can be very straightforward. Sometimes it can be read as aggressive – but it is not intentional," she said. "I can understand why some people may see it that way."

Mrs Harry, who left the trust in 2006 and has since retired from nursing, denies all charges against her. The hearing continues.