The nursing union NZNO feels “let down” and “disappointed” that former president Nano Tunnicliff failed to inform its board of misconduct charges that she’s since been found guilty of.
The Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal recently lifted name suppression for the Nelson rheumatology clinical nurse specialist who was found guilty in August of professional misconduct.
The charges relate to actions during her term as president of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation and were being investigated as she campaigned last year for a second term as president.
The Tribunal has released an oral decision saying the charges relate to Tunnicliff’s failure to keep adequate clinical records and notes on patients under her care along with her failure to notify a medical practitioner of “significant” health issued raised by one of her patients.
The seriousness of the charges, and the need to send a “message” to the nursing profession about the “importance” of documentation and notes, lead to the Tribunal suspending Tunnicliff from nursing for nine months from August 20.
It also censured her and ordered her to pay $6,500 towards costs. The tribunal decided against permanent suppression of her name stating in its view that Tunnicliff’s former involvement with NZNO encouraged rather than discouraged publication as NZNO members, the public and the profession would be “better served” to know her identity. A full detailed tribunal decision is yet to be released.
Tunnicliff was elected NZNO president in 2009 and resigned her nursing position with Nelson Marlborough District Health Board midway through last year for personal reasons including giving more time to her presidential role.
She threw her hat in to stand again for president in the election held late last year. Both Tunnicliff and the eventual winning candidate Marion Guy had their presidential nominations initially declined for failing to meet the new constitution’s criteria. But both successfully appealed and Marion Guy was announced as winner of the postal ballot in January.
In a statement to members Guy and the NZNO kaiwhakahaere and joint-leader Kerri Nuku said the organisation felt “let down and disappointed” that at no time Tunnicliff informed the NZNO board of her situation.
“NZNO relies on the integrity of our members to be open and honest about situations that may jeopardise the organisation’s standing,” said the leaders. They said it was “extremely unfortunate” that the board had not been informed and it was strengthening education around its policy of declaring conflicts of interest.
The Nelson Mail reported that Tunnicliff’s charges related to failure to document contacts with 87 patients of the rheumatology service over a period of nearly two years.
In response to a question on how come the situation had continued for nearly two years Robyn Henderson, director of nursing for Nelson Marlborough DHB, said “this was a highly specialised nurse who had a high level of trust and confidence placed in her in this role.”
She said each of the patients involved had had their care reviewed and a charge nurse manager had been appointed to oversee all specialty clinical nurses practice in this area.
The tribunal is to impose conditions on Tunnicliff’s return to nursing including completing a course on the “ethical and professional obligations” of a registered nurse (particularly clinical record-keeping) and that for three years after resuming nursing she has to supply a copy of the tribunal’s decision to any nursing employer and to advise the Nursing Council of any change of nursing employer.
Two types of supervision were also to be imposed including at least monthly clinical practice supervision for 12 months after resuming nursing, and ongoing professional supervision for three years with annual reports to the Nursing Council.
