NSW nurse ban for patient relationships

Within four months of a nurse facing a disciplinary hearing about her intimate relationship with a vulnerable patient, she began seeing another mentally ill patient, a NSW tribunal has found.

Rebecca De Lore on Tuesday was found guilty by the Civil and Administrative Tribunal of professional misconduct and two counts of unsatisfactory professional conduct.

She was disqualified from being registered as a nurse for five years and banned from providing a health service such as a nursing assistant or disability support worker.

"In our view there is a substantial risk to the health of members of the public because the available evidence demonstrates that Ms De Lore has replicated the same pattern of failing to adhere to professional boundaries with vulnerable patients," the tribunal said.

"She has shown a willingness to mislead regulators and has not been candid with employers."

Describing her conduct as very serious, the tribunal said both the male patients were very vulnerable and had significant mental health issues.

"By maintaining a personal relationship with two former patients she demonstrated an absence of care, propriety, honesty and integrity in her nursing practice," the tribunal said.

She initially falsely submitted to the Nursing and Midwifery Council of NSW that she had not entered into a personal or sexual relationship with the first patient.

She also gave an undertaking to the council that she would not contact him while the complaint was being dealt with.

But she contacted him on a number of occasions, seeking to persuade him not to tell the truth about their relationship.

"By her actions she demonstrated a disregard for the Council and its role," the tribunal said.

Ms De Lore was first registered as a nurse in April 2004.