1Fraudulent alteration of a professional endorsement letter and its submission to an accreditation body, even where the substantive content is not false, constitutes professional misconduct under paragraph (a) of the definition in s 5 of the National Law as conduct substantially below the standard reasonably expected of a registered nurse.
2General deterrence is the primary consideration in sanctioning dishonest conduct by health practitioners for personal benefit; where the practitioner has shown genuine remorse, completed ethics training, and the conduct did not affect patient outcomes, specific deterrence carries less weight.
3Where parties agree on facts, findings and sanctions, the Tribunal must independently satisfy itself that the agreed position is appropriate, though significant weight is given to the agreement, particularly where the respondent is legally represented.
