Nicholas William Crawford leaves Cairns Magistrates Court yesterday. He has been charged with fraud, unlawful wounding, assault and unlawfully supplying dangerous drugs. Source: News Corp Australia
POLICE say a fake nurse conned his way into a $100,000 a year job with Queensland Health, injected babies, took blood, performed minor procedures and issued morphine.
It is claimed Nicholas William Crawford, who has no medical training, secured a job as a clinical nurse at a Queensland Health clinic in Aurukun after falsifying his registration using the details of a retired nurse.
Police will allege that during his employment in February and March, Crawford – who posted on social media that he was “living the dream” – sent a seven-month-old baby home with Nurofen after it presented at the clinic with a 40C temperature and a heart rate of 220bpm.
It will also be alleged Crawford caused a woman excruciating pain while treating a boil and gave several patients intravenous muscular injections during his employment.
Yesterday the alleged fraudster was granted bail in Cairns Magistrates Court on more than 100 charges of unlawful wounding, assault and supplying dangerous drugs in a six-week stint at the Cape York indigenous township.
Police allege Crawford used forged documents to work at the Aurukun Primary Health Centre. Source: News Limited
Senior Sergeant Shane Wockner said Mr Crawford was discovered during internal audits by Queensland Health.
The Courier-Mail understands payroll staff noticed discrepancies in Crawford’s registration paperwork.
In June, detectives went to Aurukun to take statements from the patients Crawford allegedly treated and to review their records.
“He was allegedly giving people injections, taking blood, putting cannulas into people’s arms and giving them medication,” Snr Sgt Wockner said.
As part of his bail conditions, the 30-year-old from Darwin was forced to hand over his passport and was banned from being within 10m of an international departure point.
Queensland Health Minister Cameron Dick has now ordered a clinical audit and statewide review into hiring practices.
Mr Dick said he had told Hospital and Health Services to ensure employees were listed with the Australian Health Practitioner regulation Agency.
“We have done a full clinical audit of all the patients that this man saw and there have been no adverse outcomes,’’ he said.
Queensland Nurses Union secretary Beth Mohle said it was the first known case of someone allegedly pretending to be a trained nurse.
“It is a bit odd. It is very rare. But it is a very serious thing, be it a nurse, doctor or any other health practitioner,’’ she said. “It is allegedly identity theft.’’
She said remote clinical nurses often work unsupervised and can perform minor surgeries, deliver immunisations, injections, clean wounds, conduct body examinations, and issue drugs like morphine.
Crawford was bailed to reappear on September 2.