Adelaide, May 16, 2024 – A South Australian nurse brazenly attempted to steal a patient’s ADHD medication, than falsified medical records and even manipulated a colleague’s facebook account in a desperate bid to cover her tracks, a tribunal has found. The shocking case highlights a disturbing breach of trust within the healthcare system.
Nurse Banned After Elaborate Cover-Up
A registered nurse has been barred from practicing for four years after a tribunal found her guilty of professional misconduct involving theft and deception.
- sarah Rebecca Nolan, 41, misappropriated dexamphetamine tablets from a patient at Modbury Hospital in May 2022.
- She subsequently altered the patient’s medication chart with false information to conceal her actions.
- Nolan attempted to deceive her superiors by manipulating a junior nurse’s facebook account.
- The South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal formally reprimanded Nolan and banned her from re-registration for four years.
The South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal reprimanded and banned registered nurse Sarah Rebecca Nolan, 41, from applying to be re-registered or providing any health service for four years after finding her behaviour amounted to “professional misconduct.” The tribunal resolute Nolan “misappropriated a number of dexamphetamine tablets which the patient had booked into with the hospital” when they attended for surgery in May 2022. Dexamphetamine is a medication commonly prescribed to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and this case underscores the serious consequences of diverting such medications.
The tribunal’s judgement revealed that nolan “attempted to deceive her superiors” by “manipulating a Facebook account to make it appear as if a junior nurse had sent her a message.” This act, the tribunal emphasized, was notably egregious.”That in our view, is very serious as not only did it mislead the authorities, but it potentially put that junior nurse in danger of her career being compromised and there was an imbalance of power between her and the respondent,” the judgement stated.
Nolan’s nursing registration lapsed in May 2023, and the tribunal acknowledged she expressed “a sense of loss in relation to that occupation.” However, the tribunal maintained that a strong message needed to be sent. In October, the tribunal formally reprimanded Nolan and stated it was “required to send a strong message” that “such conduct will not be tolerated.” The tribunal also ordered Nolan to pay the costs associated with the proceedings.
