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Health

Nurse allegedly messaged 'vulnerable' teenage mental health patient about how much he liked his muscles, asked for photo

The nurse sent messages of an unprofessional nature via both social media and text, a new report says.
The nurse sent messages of an unprofessional nature via both social media and text, a new report says. Photo credit: Getty Images

Warning: This article discusses suicide.

A Kiwi nurse has been found in breach of the Health and Disability Code for sending personal messages to a teenage mental health patient.

The nurse sent messages of an unprofessional nature via both social media and text, the Health and Disability Commissioner (HDC) has said in a new report.

Released on Monday, the report said the nurse breached the HDC Code and didn't follow the Nursing Council of New Zealand's code of conduct.

The breaches related to a teenage patient, identified only as Mr B, who presented to the Adolescent Mental Health Service in 2019. Mr B had previously undergone an urgent assessment due to concerns about suicidal ideation, thoughts of self-harm and low mood.

HDC said the nurse, identified as RNA in the report, had nine appointments with Mr B in 2019 - some of which his mother was present for but others were one on one.

Mr B's file was closed in December of that year but the contact from RNA didn't cease.

"On January 1, 2020, RNA sent a text message to Mr B stating: 'Happy New Year, hope you have a good one,'" deputy HD Commissioner Vanessa Caldwell said in the report. Dr Caldwell added a further message was sent by RNA just more than a month later saying, "[H]ow you going?"

"In his complaint to HDC, Mr B stated that RNA began to message him on Instagram around the time of the first COVID-19 lockdown.

"Mr B recalled RNA commenting on his muscles as he 'always noticed and liked [his] muscles,'" the report said, adding Mr B also recalled RNA asking him for a picture of his muscles. 

Later in 2020, Mr B's case was reopened following further concerns about his behaviour, and presented to RNA for another appointment in September 2020. After a psychiatric's clinical review in October, the file was again closed in December.

"Further text messages were exchanged between August and November 2020. Primarily these relate to arranging appointments with RNA and the treating team," the report said. 

"RNA told HDC that he does not remember sending any of these text messages to Mr B, and he is no longer on Instagram or Facebook. RNA acknowledged that he sent messages to Mr B via these social media platforms, and stated that he did this around the end of 2019 and stopped messaging him at the start of 2020."

RNA's contract was terminated at the end of 2020 as a result of a separate complaint. 

He's also now being referred to the director of proceedings to determine if legal action should be taken.

According to the HDC, RNA said he intended to leave nursing late last year.

"By initiating contact with the patient outside of a professional setting, and sending messages of a personal nature, the nurse breached his professional and ethical obligations as a registered nurse and also breached the code," Dr Caldwell said.

"An inherent power imbalance exists between consumers and their healthcare providers and this involved a particularly vulnerable consumer who was a young person seeking help.

"The maintenance of professional boundaries is an integral part of the provision of health services. The nurse's conduct contravened professional boundaries and ethical standards."

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