Mater nursing tutor Evan Carter disciplined for touching and sexual remarks

A Queensland nurse educator has been formally reprimanded over inappropriate sexual comments and behaviour towards students, following a tribunal finding of professional misconduct.

A Queensland nurse educator has been formally reprimanded by the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal after being found to have engaged in professional misconduct toward nursing students under his supervision, with extended time out of practice preceding the ruling.

Evan Carter, a 60-year-old registered nurse with more than three decades of experience, faced disciplinary action following multiple substantiated allegations of inappropriate behaviour while employed as a clinical tutor at Mater Education in South Brisbane.

A QCAT ruling in March found behaviour did not warrant the cancellation of Mr Carter’s registration.

It determined Mr Carter’s actions amounted to professional misconduct under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law after a February tribunal hearing examined a pattern of behaviour between September 2020 and February 2021.

Mr Carter was accused of making inappropriate and suggestive remarks, unwelcome physical contact, and intrusive personal comments toward several female student nurses during teaching and simulation classes.

Incidents included Carter touching a student’s hair while commenting on her “beautiful skin,” singling out another student as his “favourite” and inviting her for drinks, and making sexually suggestive jokes in response to students’ innocent remarks.

Other conduct involved prolonged and unnecessary touching during instructional settings, contributing to discomfort among students.

Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia referred the matter to QCAT in June 2023. Picture: File photo

Students expressed feeling uneasy and intimidated, particularly given Carter’s position of authority, which included influence over their academic progression and future placements.

Beyond physical and verbal misconduct, the tribunal also reviewed a range of inappropriate classroom comments, including disparaging remarks about post-menopausal women, offensive comments about his ex-wife, and unprofessional references to colleagues and supervisors.

Following an internal investigation by his employer, Mr Carter was suspended on full pay in February 2021 and subsequently dismissed from his role at Mater Education in April 2021.

The matter was escalated to the Office of the Health Ombudsman and referred to the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, which proposed immediate action in May 2021, to suspend Carter’s registration, deeming him a serious risk to the public.

Carter, who spent time out of clinical practice after the initial allegations, undertook professional development and submitted a reflective report in late 2022 as part of his attempts to demonstrate remediation.

But the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia referred the matter to QCAT in June 2023.

The tribunal ultimately agreed with the NMBA that Carter’s conduct was serious and constituted professional misconduct.

However, it decided not to impose an additional suspension or cancel his registration, finding that doing so would be unnecessarily punitive given his extended absence from practice.

Carter was formally reprimanded under the National Law and no conditions were imposed on his registration, and no order was made as to costs.

His nursing registration remains unrestricted, allowing him to return to work as a nurse or educator, though with a significant disciplinary record.