Former Wagga nurse struck off register over faking medical certificates for sick leave

Karinna Ann Payne worked as an endorsed enrolled nurse at Wagga Base Hospital between March 2013 and July 2018, when the Murrumbidgee Local Health District (MLHD) terminated her employment.

The Health Care Complaints Commission made three complaints about Ms Payne, alleging that she had engaged in "unsatisfactory professional conduct" by providing false and/or misleading medical certificates to the MLHD when questioned about the time she spent on sick leave.

The commission submitted that Ms Payne had engaged in a "breach of the standards of conduct that would be expected of an enrolled nurse".

"It is unethical to submit falsified medical certificates ... because it is dishonest, contrary to the relevant codes of professional conduct, influenced by self interest and has the potential to ... jeopardise the nursing profession's good reputation and standing," the commission said.

The commission stated that all 12 medical certificates supplied by Ms Payne "all contain questionable discrepancies", including multiple-month time gaps between dates on the certificates and dates on the signatures, and spelling mistakes.

The medical practice named on the certificates was unable to find electronic records of their issue.

Ms Payne claimed during tribunal hearings that the medical certificates were not falsified by her but a computer glitch had made all the certificates appear to have been from the same medical practice during the document scanning process.

"I didn't deliberately create these medical certificates myself and had I noticed the discrepancies earlier I would not have handed them in as I would have known that they were incorrect and been aware of the repercussions and what this would of looked like for myself, both personally and professionally," she submitted to the tribunal.

The Civil and Administrative Tribunal held three hearings between July and October, and handed down its decision on Wednesday, finding Ms Payne engaged in "professional misconduct". "The explanation that the problem arose because of a virus on [Ms Payne's] computer ... was in the view of the tribunal highly implausible," the tribunal stated.

Ms Payne's registration was cancelled, effective from December 1.

She was also ordered to pay the Health Care Complaints Commission's costs as assessed or agreed and is not permitted to seek a review of the cancellation for a period of two years.

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