There was a “significant increase” in the number of concerns raised about nurses’ competency last year, reports the Nursing Council.
In its just-released annual report to March 31 2009, the council says it received 105 competency notifications, up from an average of 35-50 in the previous three years.
The council points out that though the number reported was small, just 0.2 per cent of practising nurses, the increase was significant.
“The increase in referrals is likely to be due to a greater awareness of the competence process, particularly amongst employers,” the council reported.
It said the majority of reports (66) were from employers and in most cases followed a nurse resigning or being dismissed. But it noted that the number of referrals from the Health and Disability Commissioner and from professional conduct committees had also increased.
Once notified of a concern, the council assesses the nurse’s current competency and, if unable to confirm competence, carries out a competence review. Twenty-three reviews were carried out last year and in total 89 competence reviews have been carried out since 2005, leading to results ranging from interim suspension to orders to work under professional oversight or supervision, or with conditions placed on their practice.
Of the nurses reviewed since 2005, about 40 have met their orders or required no further action; about 20 have retired, been suspended or had their scope changed; and a further 29 are still under orders.
The council reported it also set up 57 professional conduct committees to investigate complaints against nurses’ conduct. Thirty-three investigations were completed during the year with the result that 45 per cent of complaints required no further disciplinary action and 18 per cent had charges laid with the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal. Of the eight prosecutions that went to the tribunal, six were charges of professional misconduct with four of those proven (resulting in a variety of censure, temporary suspension and supervision orders) and two not proven.
The council also received 60 notifications relating to health of nurses, leading to 15 nurses being suspended from practice due to health issues.
