Keith Bunda Hunter has failed to have practice restrictions imposed by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia lifted. Hunter worked as a remote area nurse at the Mititjulu Health Clinic. He commenced working at the clinic in February 2014 and in November 2014 he was required to care for and transfer a patient suffering from active contagious tuberculosis. During this task he was required to wear personal protective equipment including a mask. Not long later, he presented at the clinic with symptoms of active TB. He was seen by a nurse and a district medical officer and was put on sick leave. The nurse claims Hunter was told to isolate himself and wear a mask until a diagnosis could occur. He says he was not told to remain isolated and says he was merely advised to go home. On this issue the Northern Territory Civil and Administrative Tribunal prefers the evidence of Hunter. Contemporaneous medical records refer to wearing a mask and not having patient contact, but do not include a specific direction to remain isolated. But it was not enough to save Hunter. “The Tribunal agrees with the conditions imposed by the nursing and midwifery board of Australia as they prevent Hunter from treating patients alone, require further mentoring, and importantly require further performance assessment before the conditions are removed. Hunter has identified skills and it is hoped that further mentoring will allow him to pass the further assessment and return to unrestricted practice.”
