A former registered nurse has been barred from the profession for 18 months after she formed a personal relationship with a vulnerable patient while working for the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District.
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Lea Andrews, a nurse since 1977, was found guilty in September of professional misconduct by the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal over the relationship that developed while she was a mental health nurse with the local health district's drug and alcohol rehabilitation service.
This month, the tribunal disqualified Ms Andrews - whose nursing registration lapsed last June - from registering as a nurse for 18 months.
Ms Andrews was the case manager for the patient, who had paranoid schizophrenia, between May 2016 and September 2017.
From about a year from October 2018, Ms Andrews shared a home in Kiama with the patient.
During this time he attempted to self-harm on three occasions, twice after drinking with Ms Andrews - despite her knowing he had a longstanding problem with drug and alcohol abuse and a history of self-harm when intoxicated.
Police also intervened on one occasion after an argument broke out between the pair and the patient allegedly threatened Ms Andrews and her family members.
In October 2019, the patient's mother lodged a complaint with the local health district about Ms Andrews' relationship with her son.
Ms Andrews also inappropriately accessed the patient's electronic medical record on nine occasions, when she was no longer his case manager.
The Health Care Complaints Commission did not allege that Ms Andrews had a romantic or sexual relationship with the patient.
Ms Andrews did not participate in the tribunal's first hearing, instead providing a reply in which she said she accepted the complaints.
The tribunal said Ms Andrews' conduct "fell significantly below what is reasonably expected of a registered nurse, particularly one of her experience" in failing to maintain professional boundaries.
As well as professional misconduct, the tribunal also found Ms Andrews guilty of unsatisfactory professional conduct.
In disqualifying Ms Andrews for 18 months, the tribunal said there was a risk Ms Andrews would again overstep her professional boundaries because there was no evidence of her insight or remorse, nor how she had addressed any issues that led to her misconduct.
Ms Andrews also did not wish to participate in nor provide written submissions for the second hearing, which considered what orders were to be made.
Ms Andrews had already resigned from the Illawarra Shoalhaven LHD in January 2020, three days before the organisation informed her that her employment would have been terminated in the wake of an investigation by its professional practice unit.
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Natalie Croxon
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
