Tribunal disqualifies nurse for life for serious professional misconduct

21 Dec 2016

A tribunal has disqualified a nurse from applying for registration for life after it found she engaged in serious professional misconduct.

The South Australian Health Practitioners Tribunal (the tribunal) has reprimanded Ms Danielle Maree Jones in the strongest possible terms, cancelled her registration and disqualified her from applying for registration as a nurse on a permanent basis.

It was alleged that Ms Jones:

• stole money from two patients, 
• failed to comply with a directive regarding administration of medication and gave false answers to inquiries about this, 
• forged the initials of another nurse in a drug chart and gave false answers to inquiries about this, 
• provided falsified certificates of training to a nursing agency, 
• breached conditions of her registration, 
• made a false statement to an Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) investigator, and 
• made false statements in a written application for registration which was submitted to the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA).

Ms Jones did not participate in the tribunal process, despite being personally served with the notice of the hearing. The tribunal accepted the unchallenged affidavit evidence from the NMBA.

It was submitted on behalf of the NMBA that the broad nature and seriousness of the offending warranted cancellation and permanent disqualification of her registration. It was argued on behalf of the NMBA that Ms Jones was not fit to hold registration as a nurse because of her repeated dishonest behaviour and demonstrated lack of integrity. Further, she did not show any remorse or seek to apologise for, or explain, her behaviour to the NMBA or the tribunal.

On that basis the tribunal found that the behaviour constituted professional misconduct and determined to: 

• reprimand Ms Jones in the strongest possible terms, 
• cancel her registration as a nurse, 
• disqualify her from applying for registration as a nurse on a permanent basis, and 
• permanently prohibit her from providing, undertaking or carrying out, whether directly or indirectly, services or any other acts in any way related, or of and incidental, to the health service of the practice of nursing or ambulance services.

The reasons for the decision will be published on the tribunal’s website.

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