Aged care nurses who breached lockdown before deadly Covid outbreak suspended

Three aged care nurses who broke Victoria’s 2020 lockdown for a party at their workplace, before a Covid outbreak in which 38 residents died, have been suspended.

Three nurses who broke lockdown rules in 2020 to attend a party at an aged care centre that went on to suffer a deadly Covid outbreak have been suspended.

Thirty eight residents died at Epping Gardens Aged Care Home during a Covid outbreak that began four days after an infamous baby shower at the facility in July 2020 and saw the vast majority of their patients infected.

Victoria was under strict stay-at-home rules during this time, and no vaccines were available, but a Tribunal heard registered nurses Sheanadz Anni, Justin May Carpio and Grzegorz Grodzinksi came in on their day off for a staff party in a vacant room.

The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal said the outbreak — four days after the party — “resulted in major tragedy”, with an independent health department review finding 103 of the home’s 119 residents and 86 staff contracted the virus.

VCAT heard these “stark” numbers could “not begin to convey the trauma and grief suffered by all residents, whether or not they developed Covid-19, and enormous impact on their families” and banned the trio from nursing for three months in November last year.

The vast majority of patients Epping Gardens Aged Care Home became infected with Covid four days after the baby shower. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

In written reasons released this month, the Tribunal also reprimanded the three nurses — who despite a police investigation shortly after the outbreak were never criminally charged — for professional misconduct.

The Tribunal, whose written reasons were released this month, also reprimanded the three nurses, who — despite reports of a police investigation shortly after the outbreak — were never criminally charged.

They also heard there was “no evidence that any of the respondents (or anyone else who attended the baby shower) caused the outbreak”.

“The independent report stated that the source of infection for the outbreak had not been established,” tribunal documents stated.

“Even though there is no evidence that the respondents were responsible for the outbreak at Epping Gardens, there was risk inherent in their behaviour.

“The nurses shared the responsibility for the health and care of the residents.”

The three nurses who broke Covid lockdown rules to attend the party were suspended for three months. Picture: David Crosling

Tribunal members John Billings, Mary Archibald and Marietta Bylhouwer said the party, which was widely reported on by the media, “undermined” the public’s trust in nurses.

They described their conduct as a “very serious departure” from nursing’s proper professional standards that placed “vulnerable patients and others at risk”.

“It is too serious to be described as a lapse of judgement,” they said.

A psychologist reported Ms Anni, supporting her three children who live overseas with her mother, attended “because she did not want to be seen to be rude to her colleagues”, “deeply regretted” her actions and “fully understood” their consequences.

The same psychologist reported Ms Caprio felt pressured to attend, felt “‘so stupid’ about what she did” and was “deeply regretful” and “fully aware” of Covid’s dangers.

A psychiatrist reported Mr Grodzinski, who had temporarily had restrictions imposed on his registration in the aftermath and is also in relationship with Ms Caprio, acknowledged his wrongdoing and “did not seek to minimise his conduct or skirt responsibility”.

They heard the Board of Nursing and Midwifery felt the apologies of all three were genuine.

The three-month suspension was due to end on February 22 this year, meaning all three can now return to nursing.