A nurse who unknowingly attended a baby shower at a care home during the Covid lockdowns has been suspended for failing to stop the event and reporting his colleagues for being there.
Denis Baniqued, who was expecting his first child at the time, was unaware of the surprise event, organized for him and another colleague, until he arrived at the Epping Gardens Aged Care Center in Epping, in Melbourne’s north, in July 2020.
Shortly after, a Covid outbreak occurred at the facility, claiming the lives of 34 residents.
The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) heard the nurse knew nothing about the shower and only stayed for five minutes.
He also asked the nurses on his unit to return to work.
However, the decision handed down this week ruled that Baniqued, who was a supervising nurse, should have stopped the party and informed his colleagues of the attendance.
This was despite the subsequent outbreak not being definitively attributed to the event, although Baniqued tested positive for Covid shortly afterwards.
VCAT ruled that the baby shower breached restrictions and that nurses were expected to “observe the law”, “act when something goes wrong” and intervene “when a person’s safety is at risk”.
Ambulances are seen at Epping Garden care home during the Covid outbreak in 2020
Baniqued offered an emotional apology to the residents’ families in a statement that was delivered to the court, the Herald of the sun reported.
In the apology, Baniqued stated that he had failed in his duty as a nurse.
“I have not once forgotten this mistake that will haunt me for the rest of my life,” he said.
“The faces and names of the people I have known and cared for are still part of my memory and their families who have put their trust in me and who I feel I have destroyed.”
The Court recognized Mr. Baniqued’s remorse and admission of guilt.
However, they found that his behavior still constituted professional misconduct and said he should also have told unauthorized people who attended the party to leave, as well as informing management.
A senior nurse at Epping Gardens has been suspended for a month for failing to stop a baby shower or report colleagues attending during Covid lockdowns (file image)
Baniqued has received a one-month suspension.
He was also ordered to receive additional training on incident reporting and nursing leadership.