A nurse at the Epworth Hospital has been sacked after being caught on Skype stealing $20 from a new dad's wallet.

The father was using Skype to tell his father in Greece about his newborn child when he stepped away briefly and the grandfather saw the nurse take the money, 3AW has reported.

When the new dad returned his father said "My son, you've just been robbed". The man and his wife reported the matter and the nurse admitted to the theft and returned the money.

An Epworth spokesperson told 3AW the hospital was "shocked", adding that the staff member had been dismissed and would not be employed again by any branch of the Epworth.