Nigerian-Born Nurse Stripped Of Australian Licence After Sleeping On Duty, Endangering Elderly Patients

A Nigerian-born nurse, Chimzuruoke Okembunachi, has been deregistered in Australia after a tribunal found she repeatedly slept during night shifts at an aged care facility, placing elderly residents at serious risk.
According to reports by the Daily Mail on Friday, the New South Wales Civil and Administrative Tribunal on January 20 ruled that Ms Okembunachi’s conduct in March 2024 amounted to professional misconduct, ordering the cancellation of her nursing registration.
The 25-year-old began work at Hardi Aged Care in Guildford, western Sydney, in February 2024 but was suspended and later resigned barely a month into the role.
Tribunal proceedings revealed that between March 13 and 27, Ms Okembunachi was the only registered nurse on night duty, supervising three to four assistants-in-nursing (AINs) and caring for about 100 residents.
On six separate nights, she failed to carry out her duties after falling asleep. On three occasions, patients missed prescribed doses of morphine. In one incident on March 21–22, an AIN turned on the nurses’ station light to wake her, only for her to switch it off moments later and return to sleep.
The tribunal also heard that on March 15, she instructed an AIN to administer Panadol to a patient, despite the assistant lacking authorisation, reportedly saying, “It’s okay, sister, just give it to him.”
Two nurses reported her conduct on March 27. The following day, she received an email notifying her of a suspension and inviting her to a meeting. She resigned 20 minutes later and declined to attend.
Born in Nigeria, Ms Okembunachi moved to Australia in 2018, earned a Bachelor of Nursing Science in 2021, and was studying medicine at Western Sydney University while working at the facility.
She told the tribunal the incidents caused her “significant stress,” admitting she should not have applied for or accepted the position. “Working night shifts during the week was putting patients’ safety at risk,” she said, acknowledging she failed in supervising staff and residents.
While noting her “remorseful and contrite” attitude, the tribunal ruled that deregistration was necessary, stating her actions “had the potential to endanger the lives of patients under her care.”
Ms Okembunachi is barred from seeking a review of the decision for at least nine months. She has not returned to nursing but continues her medical studies, supported by her father and a Centrelink student allowance.