Nurse sacked for sleeping on the job
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Nurse sacked after "resting his eyes" Falling asleep on the job has cost a New Zealand nurse his position. Ian Sigglekow was fired after he was found sleeping on the job and caught leaving his shift early, while on duty at Waikato Hospital’s secure mental health ward in January. An Employment Relations Authority hearing found the dismissal for serious misconduct was “flawed” but did not order Mr Sigglekow’s reinstatement, instead awarding him more than $3400 in lost remuneration and $2000 in distress compensation. The ERA heard Mr Sigglekow had suffered a heart attack last October and had been back at work on reduced hours for a month when the incident occurred. The hearing was told Mr Sigglekow had left his shift early, without completing the appropriate handover procedures with staff, and left a psychiatric assistant alone at the ward, which is set up for five male patients. The Waikato District Health Board claimed it had received previous reports of Mr Sigglekow asleep while on duty and on this occasion, the assistant had tried to wake him. Mr Sigglekow claimed he was “resting his eyes” and was not asleep on the job. He was fired on April 21 despite receiving no warnings. ERA member Rachel Larmer said Mr Sigglekow had failed to appropriately manage his health issues. “By asserting to WDHB it was appropriate for a registered nurse to rest with their eyes closed whilst on duty and by sleeping on duty in circumstances which puts others at risk…I find that his culpable actions mean it would be inappropriate to return him to the workplace, given the nature of this working environment,” she stated. Ms Larmer also raised concerns about how WDHB managed his dismissal. Related articles: Share your thoughts Related and Recent Articles
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