Nigerian Nurse Deregistered in Australia for Sleeping on Duty During Critical Night Shifts

A nurse originally from Nigeria has had her registration cancelled in Australia after a tribunal found she repeatedly fell asleep during night shifts, putting elderly patients at risk.

Chimzuruoke Okembunachi, 25, was struck off by the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) for professional misconduct. She began working at Hardi Aged Care in Guildford, western Sydney, in February 2024, but resigned shortly after being suspended amid concerns over her conduct.

Tribunal records show that between March 13 and 27, 2024, Okembunachi was the sole registered nurse on night shifts, supervising three to four assistants-in-nursing and responsible for around 100 residents. She was found to have fallen asleep on six separate occasions, including one stretch lasting about four hours and 24 minutes. On at least three shifts, residents missed scheduled doses of morphine.

Incidents reported include an assistant turning on the nurses’ station light to wake her, only for Okembunachi to turn it off and return to sleep, and directing an assistant to administer Panadol despite them not being authorised to do so.

Two colleagues formally reported her conduct on March 27, leading to her suspension the next day. She resigned shortly afterward, declining to attend a meeting called by management.

At the tribunal, Okembunachi acknowledged that the stress of the role and night shifts affected her performance and admitted that her actions compromised patient safety. She expressed remorse for failing to supervise staff and residents adequately.

The tribunal concluded that deregistration was necessary due to the serious risks posed to patients. Okembunachi, who moved to Australia in 2018, qualified as a nurse in 2021, and is now studying medicine at Western Sydney University, is barred from reapplying for nursing registration for at least nine months.