Image: ABC. By court reporter James Hancock.
An Adelaide woman who passed herself off as a registered nurse for five years was exposed as an imposter after she poorly handled a patient who had suffered a fall, court documents show.
Jennifer Anne Reed, 65, has pleaded guilty to seven counts of deception by using the identity of a registered nurse to work at several aged care homes in South Australia between 2009 and 2014.
A summary of evidence filed by prosecutors said Reed continued her offending in New South Wales until December 2014.
The document outlined how five months earlier, Reed dealt with a patient fall at the aged care facility Trevu House at Willaston, near Gawler north of Adelaide, in a manner not expected of a competent nurse.
The facility’s acting manager notified the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) who later uncovered Reed’s “elaborate and persistent charade”.
Documents were discovered which demonstrated a “lengthy history of remarkably similar behaviour” and the evidence was forwarded to South Australia Police for charges to be laid.
Reed worked as the director of nursing for Moonta Health and Aged Care in 2014 and was responsible for administering “drugs of dependence” at Trevu House in the same year.
She received wages of almost $350,000 over the five years.
Prosecutors said Reed’s deception involved producing fake documents to secure work, including a false CV and references.
During sentencing submissions this week, prosecutors said Reed’s actions created the potential for grave mistakes given her inadequate qualifications.
Reed has apologised to the court for her offending.
She faces a maximum penalty of 10 years’ jail when she is sentenced on March 18.
here.This post originally appeared on ABC News.
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