Charge

On 1-2 December 2020 the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal considered a charge of professional misconduct laid by a Professional Conduct Committee against Ms R, registered nurse (the Nurse).

The charge alleged that during the period from about December 2017 to September 2018, the Nurse entered into an inappropriate relationship with a former prisoner.  It was alleged  the Nurse provided health services to the prisoner while employed as a registered nurse at the prison.

Findings

The hearing proceeded based on an Agreed Statement of Facts. The Nurse admitted the conduct as described in the charge. She accepted her conduct amounted to professional misconduct and that it warranted the imposition of a sanction.

The charge of professional misconduct was established.  The Tribunal was satisfied the relationship was likely to be of an intimate nature and the relationship was inappropriate and in breach of the professional standards for a registered nurse.  

The Tribunal found the Nurse’s conduct amounted to malpractice and the conduct has or is likely to have brought the nursing profession into disrepute.

Penalty

The Tribunal: censured the Nurse; suspended her for a period of nine months; and ordered four conditions on her practice.

She was ordered to pay $12,000 costs and the Tribunal directed publication of its decision and a summary.