A former mental health nurse who inappropriately called and text-messaged
patients has been found guilty of professional misconduct and suspended from
working for 18 months.
Collin Kora was employed by the Counties Manukau District Health Board's
(CMDHB) community mental health services between May and September 2010, until
he resigned when disciplinary proceedings were brought against him.
In a judgment released on Tuesday, the Health Practitioners Disciplinary
Tribunal found Mr Kora's contact with two mental health patients amounted to
misconduct and malpractice.
He began texting a patient, referred to as Ms V, in May 2010 - sending her 27
messages over a four-hour period from his work phone, in which he allegedly said
he was watching pornography.
He continued texting her throughout May and June, before Ms V informed her
key mental health worker about the texts in September.
Mr Kora called another mental health patient, Ms N, in August and asked if he
could come to her home and watch DVDs with her.
When confronted by his employer, Mr Kora denied the allegations, saying the
patients were paranoid schizophrenics and they must have misinterpreted what had
occurred.
Mr Kora said he had only contacted Ms V to ensure she was taking her
medication.
Following an investigation, the Nursing Council's professional conduct
committee charged Mr Kora with professional misconduct and malpractice.
The HPDT found him guilty of both, and censured Mr Kora for his actions,
saying censure was "a mark of the tribunal's significant dissatisfaction with
behaviour of this kind and the inappropriateness of such misconduct".
It disqualified Mr Kora from practising for 18 months, and he would need 18
months supervision if he was employed again.
He was also ordered to undertake a course on ethical behaviour and
boundaries, and to pay costs.
NZN