Enrolled nurse reprimanded for failing to meet professional responsibilities

28 Oct 2024

A tribunal has reprimanded an enrolled nurse and placed conditions on her registration after she failed to notify the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (the Board) in a timely manner that she had been charged with attempting to pervert justice.

The Board referred Alisha Reed to the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (the tribunal) for conduct relating to a criminal conviction. The Board alleged that Ms Reed had engaged in conduct that led to her being convicted on or about 19 January 2022 on a plea of guilty of attempting to pervert justice. It further alleged that she had failed to give notice to the Board within seven days after becoming aware a ‘relevant event’ – being charged with this offence – had occurred.

The tribunal accepted that Ms Reed had displayed remorse for her actions both by pleading guilty early to the charge and cooperating with the Board’s investigation. It also acknowledged that, even though these offences did not occur in Ms Reed’s direct professional practice, she had subsequently understood that any serious criminal offence may be considered as amounting to professional misconduct.

The tribunal found that Ms Reed’s conduct amounted to professional misconduct in respect of pleading guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice, and unprofessional conduct in respect of failing to notify the Board after a “relevant event” occurred.

On 19 August 2024, the tribunal ordered that Ms Reed:

• be reprimanded, and
• have conditions imposed on her registration requiring her to complete education about ethical decision making and professional responsibilities.

Read the tribunal’s full decision on Austlii.