+
Assuring ftness to practise
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49
registration was suspended. He was
censured and ordered to pay costs.
In light of his ill health and decision to
retire, he received permanent name
suppression. Should he wish to resume
practice as a nurse, he must do so in
accordance with conditions imposed by
the Tribunal.
Convictions refecting adversely
on ftness to practise
1. Sexual assault conviction
A 2011 conviction in the Wanganui
District Court for indecent assault on
a 14-year-old girl led to a registered
nurse having his registration cancelled.
The Tribunal found that the conviction
refected adversely on his ftness to
practise. In its decision in August 2012,
the Tribunal said a conviction for a
sexual offence is a serious breach of
professional standards and a clear
message must be sent to all health
practitioners, including nurses, that high
standards are required in every physical
contact that a health practitioner has with
another person.
2. Dishonesty and assault
convictions
A New Plymouth nurse had his
registration cancelled for a second
time following two separate convictions
in 2011 for dishonesty and assault.
The nurse had only been re-registered
in 2007 after having been struck off
in 2003 following fraud convictions.
The Tribunal found that the convictions
refected adversely on the nurse’s ftness
to practise and the only option was
to order again that his registration be
cancelled. As he had been punished by
the court process, it said this was for
the protection of the public “until he has
learned the necessary ethics, standards
and self-control”.