SYDNEY – A tribunal in Australia has cancelled the nursing registration of Chimzuruoke Okembunachi, a 25-year-old Nigerian-born nurse, after she was found to have repeatedly slept during night shifts at an aged care facility, compromising patient safety.
The New South Wales Civil and Administrative Tribunal ruled on January 20 that Okembunachi’s actions in March 2024 constituted professional misconduct. She was the sole registered nurse supervising approximately 100 residents and several assistants during night shifts at Hardi Aged Care in Guildford, western Sydney.
Evidence presented revealed that on six separate nights, Okembunachi slept instead of performing her duties. On three occasions, patients missed their prescribed morphine doses as a result. In one instance, an assistant turned on a light to wake her, but she turned it off and resumed sleeping.
The nurse also instructed an unqualified assistant to administer Panadol to a patient—a task outside the assistant's authorization.
Okembunachi, who moved to Australia in 2018 and held a Bachelor of Nursing Science, was studying medicine at Western Sydney University while working at the facility. She resigned 20 minutes after receiving a suspension email in late March 2024.
In her testimony, she expressed regret, stating the job caused her significant stress and acknowledging that her actions endangered patients. “In hindsight, I should not have applied for, or accepted the position,” she told the tribunal.
While noting her remorse, the tribunal determined that deregistration was necessary given the potential risk to elderly patients. Okembunachi cannot apply for a review of the decision for at least nine months. She is not currently working as a nurse but continues her medical studies with financial support from her father and a student allowance.
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