100 Patients, 15 Night Shifts: The Hidden Facts Behind Nurse Chimzuruoke Okembunachi’s Story
In the high-stakes environment of aged care, where patient vulnerability demands constant vigilance, the story of Chimzuruoke Okembunachi offers a sobering reflection on the intersection of individual responsibility and systemic strain.
Ms Okembunachi, a 25-year-old Nigerian-born registered nurse, relocated to Australia in 2018 and completed her Bachelor of Nursing Science at the University of the Sunshine Coast in 2021. She commenced employment at Hardi Aged Care in Guildford, western Sydney, in February 2024. According to tribunal records, she was rostered on night shifts during the period of 13 to 27 March 2024—a 15-day span in which she served as the sole registered nurse on duty.
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In this role, she was responsible for supervising three to four assistants-in-nursing and ensuring the safety and care of approximately 100 elderly residents, many requiring complex support including regular medication administration, pain management, and emergency readiness.
The NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) examined evidence indicating that, across six night shifts within this timeframe, she was found asleep while on duty, predominantly in the nurses’ station. This contributed to at least three documented instances in which patients did not receive their scheduled medication, including prescribed morphine. Additional concerns arose from an occasion when she directed an unauthorised assistant-in-nursing to administer Panadol to a resident experiencing pain, contrary to established protocols.
Colleagues formally raised these matters on 27 March 2024. The following day, she received notification of suspension and an invitation to a meeting, after which she submitted her resignation and did not attend the discussion. The Health Care Complaints Commission referred the case to NCAT, which in January 2026 determined that her conduct constituted professional misconduct. The tribunal concluded that her actions carried the potential to endanger patient lives and that cancellation of registration, with a minimum nine-month prohibition on reapplication, was necessary to protect the public.
During the proceedings, Ms Okembunachi presented herself with evident sincerity and accepted full accountability. She described the events as a significant personal lesson and outlined the considerable pressures she had been managing:
- Ongoing migraines that affected concentration and rest
- Concurrent enrolment in a graduate medical programme at Western Sydney University, including an unsuccessful mid-year anatomy examination and a subsequent period of leave
- Substantial family obligations, including financial support for her younger sister’s scoliosis surgery, which incurred significant costs for her father
She stated to the tribunal:
“When I slept on night shift, I failed in supervising those staff members and the residents… I was also being paid to work, not sleep.”
The tribunal noted her candour, genuine remorse, and clean professional record prior to these events. She has not practised nursing since her suspension and is presently supported by family and government assistance while pursuing her medical studies. She has indicated a desire to return to nursing in the future, subject to appropriate safeguards around shift patterns.
This case highlights the profound challenges inherent in aged care nursing, particularly during solitary night duty with high resident numbers. It serves as a reminder that fatigue, when compounded by personal health difficulties, academic demands, and family responsibilities, can impair performance in ways that carry serious consequences.
Fellow Nurses Africa advocates for a profession that protects both those who receive care and those who provide it. This requires:
- Enforceable safe staffing standards, especially for night shifts in residential aged care
- Structured fatigue risk management, including protected rest breaks and workload assessments
- Accessible, confidential support pathways for nurses experiencing health or personal challenges
- A workplace culture that encourages timely disclosure of concerns without fear of immediate sanction
Patient safety and nurse wellbeing are inextricably linked. When either is compromised, the entire system suffers. Stories such as this one call for greater understanding, stronger safeguards, and sustained reform to ensure nursing remains a sustainable and compassionate vocation.
We remain committed to elevating these conversations, supporting the workforce, and championing conditions in which every nurse can practise safely and with resilience.
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Fellow Nurses Africa is the independent voice of African nursing, we educate, inform and support nurses across Africa
