A Nigerian-born nurse working in Australia has lost her licence to practise after a tribunal found that she repeatedly slept during night shifts at an aged care facility, exposing elderly residents to serious risk.
The nurse, Chimzuruoke Okembunachi, 25, had her registration cancelled by the New South Wales Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) following findings of professional misconduct. The ruling, delivered on January 20, was based on incidents that occurred in March 2024 while she was employed at Hardi Aged Care, Guildford, in western Sydney.
Ms Okembunachi began work at the facility in February 2024 but was suspended within weeks and later resigned. Tribunal proceedings revealed that between March 13 and March 27, she was frequently the only registered nurse on night duty, supervising three to four assistants-in-nursing (AINs) and caring for about 100 residents.
Evidence before the tribunal showed that on six separate nights, Ms Okembunachi failed to carry out her duties because she was asleep. On three occasions, residents missed prescribed doses of morphine, raising concerns about pain management and patient safety.
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In one incident on March 21–22, an assistant nurse reportedly switched on the light at the nurses’ station to wake her. She turned it off shortly after and went back to sleep. On another occasion, she instructed an AIN to administer Panadol, despite the assistant not being authorised to give medication, telling her: “It’s okay, sister, just give it to him.”
The tribunal found that her conduct amounted to professional misconduct, noting that her actions placed vulnerable residents at unacceptable risk. It ruled that cancellation of her registration was necessary to protect public safety and maintain confidence in the nursing profession.
Australia operates a strict regulatory framework for nurses, overseen by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA). The NMBA’s Code of Conduct for Nurses, which applies to more than 400,000 practitioners nationwide, sets clear expectations around alertness, accountability, and patient-centred care.
Under the code, nurses must practise safely and must not work while impaired by fatigue or ill health. Sleeping on duty is viewed as a serious breach because it compromises the nurse’s ability to respond to emergencies. The code also places a legal duty of care on nurses to monitor patients, administer medication correctly, and supervise support staff appropriately.
Tribunal decisions in Australia have consistently held that sleeping during clinical shifts constitutes misconduct, particularly in aged care settings where residents often have complex needs and limited capacity to seek help.
Experts say the case underscores the zero-tolerance approach taken by Australian regulators when patient safety is threatened. While employers are expected to manage workloads and rosters, individual nurses remain personally responsible for ensuring they are fit to practise.
The decision also highlights the heightened scrutiny faced by healthcare workers in aged care facilities, following repeated concerns nationwide about neglect and standards of care.
For Ms Okembunachi, the ruling brings her nursing career in Australia to an abrupt halt. For the wider profession, it serves as a stark reminder that vigilance, professionalism and strict adherence to ethical standards are non-negotiable when caring for society’s most vulnerable.
