Relief for nurse who warned of falling standards in nurse training

Queensland Health has withdrawn its show cause and threat of disciplinary action against a Queensland nurse who told The Sunday Mail that student nurses were poorly trained.

QUEENSLAND Health has withdrawn its show cause and threat of disciplinary action against a nurse who told The Sunday Mail that student nurses were poorly trained.

Prince Charles Hospital nurse unit manager Marg Gilbert is at the centre of a landmark human rights case and appeared today at the Queensland Industrial Commission.

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In a show cause email from Metro North Hospital and Health Services Ms Gilbert was told that she may face the sack or be disciplined due to breaching media regulations by making comment about the dropping standards of bachelor nursing degrees and the decline of practical skills in student nurses.

Whistleblower nurse Margaret Gilbert. Picture: Annette Dew

The email from Queensland Health sparked unprecedented action by the Nurses Professional Association of Queensland. The nurse is a union delegate.

The NPAQ claims the media gag order and the threat of serious disciplinary action on Ms Gilbert is a breach of human rights and plan to continue to fight in court for Ms Gilbert.

It is believed this will be the first time the new Human Rights Act introduced on January 1 will be tested.

“The fundamental role of a nurse is to be an advocate for their patients. If Margaret is denied the chance to speak out on the standard of nursing and the impact on patients then other nurses will be scared to speak for fear of being sacked,” NPAQ president Phill Tsingos has said.

The NPAQ today announced that the withdrawal of the show cause was a great relief for Ms Gilbert and the union.