HCCC statement, 31 August 2010
“In 2007, the Health Care Complaints Commission prosecuted Ms Mebra Kakaire, a registered and enrolled nurse, before a Nurses and Midwives Professional Standards Committee. The Committee referred the matter to the Nurses and Midwives Tribunal to consider deregistration and/or suspension of Ms Kakaire, because the Committee did not have the power to make such an order. The Tribunal heard two complaints brought by the Health Care Complaints Commission. The first alleged that Ms Kakaire was guilty of unsatisfactory professional conduct in that she had provided poor care and treatment to children while working at the Children’s Hospital, Westmead. The second complaint alleged that Ms Kakaire suffered from an impairment that made her unfit to practise as a nurse. In its decision of 26 August 2010, the Tribunal found both complaints against Ms Kakaire proven and deregistered her for a minimum period of two years.”
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Archive for category Nursing
HCCC statement, 26 August 2010
“In its decision of 26 August 2010, the Tribunal found Mr Grentell guilty of professional misconduct. The Tribunal noted that Mr Grentell ‘was not yet willing to take responsibility for his poor nursing practice and … did not understand or have insight into his professional obligation to abide by the directions of those responsible for regulating his profession’. …The Tribunal deregistered Mr Grentell for a minimum period of two years.”
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HCCC statement, 26 August 2010
“The Health Care Complaints Commission prosecuted Ms Lynda Grant, a registered nurse and midwife, before the Nurses and Midwives Tribunal. The Commission alleged that Ms Grant directed another nurse to disconnect a patient’s bedside buzzer and failed to reconnect the buzzer when she attended to the patient. The Commission also alleged that Ms Grant made inadequate entries in the patient’s medical notes. In its decision of 26 August 2010, the Tribunal found Ms Grant guilty of unsatisfactory professional conduct in relation to her inadequate documentation in the medical notes. The Tribunal also found Ms Grant guilty of professional misconduct in relation to the disconnected buzzer.”
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Inquirer, By Emil Guillermo, 08/22/2010
“So, of course, I’m alarmed by the news that a de facto ban against hiring Filipino nurses at the St. Luke’s Campus of Sutter Health’s California Pacific Medical Center (CPMC) appears to be policy in San Francisco. No Filipinos, as blatant as that. Just like the old sign that the Filipino National Historical Society displays, the one from the 1920s that reads, “Positively No Filipinos Allowed.” You can take that sign and stick it on the door at St. Luke’s, right now, says the California Nurses Association, the nurses union.”
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College of Nursing, 20 August 2010
“Royal College of Nursing, Australia and The College of Nursing call for immediate action to ensure sustainable nursing and midwifery workforces into the future. When will all the major political parties announce sufficient resources to solve one of the biggest challenges facing the nursing and midwifery workforces, both organisations asked today? RCNA CEO Debra Cerasa said that the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) had reported state-wide skills shortages of registered nurses and midwives in all jurisdictions, and shortages of enrolled nurses in NSW, QLD, WA and ACT. “Our nursing and midwifery .”
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Feminist Wire, 20 August 2010
“The California Nurses Association (CNA) is bringing a class-action lawsuit against California Pacific Medical Center (CPMC), and Sutter Health, CPMC’s overseeing company, for intentionally engaging in hiring discrimination against Filipina nurses. Three medical center employees submitted statements to the San Francisco Human Rights Commission claiming that between 2007 and 2009, they were instructed not to hire Filipino nurses at CPMC’s St. Luke’s campus, stated the LA Times .”
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HCCC statement, 10 August 2010
“The Health Care Complaints Commission prosecuted Mr Shane Fitzgerald, a registered nurse, before the Nurses and Midwives Tribunal. The Commission brought before the Tribunal allegations by a patient that Mr Fitzgerald engaged in an inappropriate personal and sexual relationship with her whilst and after she was under his care. Mr Fitzgerald denied any form of relationship with the patient. He acknowledged that he called the patient on several occasions when she was no longer under his care and failed to record these phone calls properly. He stated that these calls were in response to text messages and voicemails from the patient.
“In its decision of 5 August 2010, the Tribunal found not proven that Mr Fitzgerald engaged in an inappropriate relationship with the patient. The Tribunal found proven that Mr Fitzgerald failed to record his phone calls to the patient after the therapeutic relationship had ended and failed to re-open the file on the patient. On this basis, the Tribunal found Mr Fitzgerald guilty of unsatisfactory professional conduct. The Tribunal will hear further submissions as to what, if any, protective orders it should make.”
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Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, statement, 5 August 2010
“A national registration and accreditation scheme for 10 health professions was introduced in Australia on 1 July 2010 in all states except Western Australia, which expects to join the scheme later in 2010. …Under the National Law, the Boards set registration standards which all registrants must meet before they are registered to practise in Australia. Each of the National Boards have set an English language skills standard to ensure all registered health practitioners in Australia can provide safe care to the Australian community and can communicate effectively – orally and in writing – with other health professionals about the care of their patients. The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) has set an English language skills standard that requires all applicants to demonstrate English language skills at IELTS academic level 7 or the equivalent.”
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Decision of the Nurses and Midwives Tribunal of NSW:
” 8. The particulars for both complaints were the same namely that; at all relevant times Ms Pierce was employed by the South Eastern Sydney Illawarra Health Service (SESIA) at the Royal Hospital for Women, Sydney (the Hospital) and that, in the course of her employment as a registered nurse/midwife between 15 August 2008 and 27 September 2008, she:
1. stole 20 ampoules of Pethidine;
2. tore pages from the Schedule 8 Drugs Register to cover the theft of the 20 ampoules of Pethidine;
100. during the night shift of 26 September 2008 and morning of 27 September 2008 forged the signature of another member of staff to cover the theft of Pethidine;
The Nurse failed to advise her employer that she had surrendered her Schedule 8 Drug Authority and administered a Schedule 8 drug without a Schedule 8 Drug Authority…”
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Decision of the Nurses and Midwives Tribunal of NSW:
“1. The Nurses and Midwives Tribunal (the Tribunal) convened at the Tribunal Hearing Room in the Health Professional Councils Authority in Sydney on 19, 20 & 21 July 2010 to conduct an Inquiry into a complaint (Complaint) made by Ms Karen Mobbs, Director of Proceedings, Health Care Complaints Commission (the HCCC), dated 3 November 2009 in relation to a registered nurse (RN), Margaret Yule (Respondent).
2. At the relevant time the Respondent worked in the nursing clinic of a Juvenile Justice Centre (JJC). The clinic was run as a ‘sole charge’ position. The Complaint alleges that the Respondent made false and/or misleading entries or caused or permitted false entries to be made in the Drug Register for dexamphetamine, Concerta, Ritalin, Valium, diazepam, Panadeine Forte and Temaze.
…
ORDERS (in summary): Reprimand, ethics course, mentoring, notification of employers. Each party to pay own costs.”
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