QCAT disqualifies former nurse from registration for 10 years

25 Nov 2015

The Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal has found a former registered nurse engaged in professional misconduct and banned her from applying for registration for 10 years.

The Nursing & Midwifery Board of Australia referred the former enrolled and registered nurse, Ms Wimon Seijbel-Chocmingkwan, to the tribunal after she was convicted of a series of criminal offences, including attempted murder.

Ms Seijbel-Chocmingkwan was in jail and her registration had lapsed when QCAT decided the case, which was heard on the papers.

The Supreme Court had found that Ms Seijbel-Chocmingkwan assaulted her daughter in the name of family discipline, tried to kill her estranged husband with her motor vehicle and stabbed her husband’s new partner. She showed no remorse and she caused serious physical and psychological harm to her husband’s new partner.

In September 2010 Ms Seijbel-Chocmingkwan was convicted and jailed for assault occasioning bodily harm and common assault for offences committed between November 2009 and February 2010.

In June 2013 she was convicted of attempted murder and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle – both classified as serious violent offences – and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment.

The Tribunal agreed with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia that Ms Seijbel-Chocmingkwan was not a fit and proper person to hold registration in the nursing profession as her conduct was incompatible with the characteristics, attributes, and ethical standards required.

The Tribunal also found Ms Seijbel-Chiocmingkwan engaged in unprofessional conduct and breached s130 of the National Law by not disclosing all her convictions to the Board. She had told the Board that she had been ‘convicted of an assault’ when she had been convicted of seven assaults.

The Tribunal noted that the Mental Health Court found her fit to stand trial and that she had been declared a serious violent offender by the Supreme Court.

Ms Seijbel-Chocmingkwan was ordered to pay the Board’s costs.

The QCAT decision is published on Austlii.