Tribunal suspends nurse for professional misconduct

30 Oct 2018

A tribunal has suspended a nurse for professional misconduct concerning inappropriate conduct towards a student and a patient.

On 4 September 2014, the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) received a notification alleging, among other things, that registered nurse (RN) Mr Alfredo Crocetti while teaching had touched a student nurse in an inappropriate manner and made sexually suggestive comments.

On 18 September 2014, the Immediate Action Committee of the NMBA accepted an undertaking from Mr Crocetti that he would adhere to conditions on his registration while the matter was investigated, including only working under the supervision of another registered nurse.

During the course of the investigation, it was also alleged that on 2 or 3 December 2012, Mr Crocetti had transgressed professional boundaries by touching a patient inappropriately without clinical justification. 

On 15 December 2016, the NMBA referred Mr Crocetti to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (the tribunal) on two allegations of professional misconduct.

Mr Crocetti admitted the facts and that his behaviour constituted professional misconduct, in that he failed to demonstrate the standards of professional conduct expected of an RN.

The tribunal reprimanded Mr Crocetti and suspended his registration as a nurse for a period of two months, taking into account that he had been subject to conditions on his registration for a number of years.

The tribunal imposed conditions on Mr Crocetti’s practice, including that upon resumption of practise he not have face-to-face contact with patients for four months and that he complete further education. After six months Mr Crocetti will be eligible to return to practice unsupervised, except that he cannot practice in a formal education setting for a further six months.

The tribunal’s decision is published on the tribunal website.