WA nurse Selvarani Burwood stole masks and PPE during Covid pandemic
A nurse who stole personal protective equipment, including face masks, during a national shortage during the Covid-19 pandemic has been disqualified for 12 months.
Selvarani Burwood was casually working for a tertiary institution as a clinical nurse facilitator in March 2020 when she pressured students under her supervision to help her steal personal protective equipment from a hospital.
She told the students that she would be traveling to England in two weeks, going to places with a high risk of COVID-19, that she was concerned about her health and that the students should bring masks from the wards for her.
Selvarani Burwood (pictured) has been disqualified from nursing for a year after stealing masks and other personal protective equipment during the Covid pandemic
The Western Australian nurse asked them to block the view of other staff members while she retrieved personal protective equipment from an equipment cart and placed it in her handbag.
She also stole personal protective equipment from a storage room and stuffed it into her students’ uniform pockets.
The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia was made aware of Burwood’s actions after she was arrested and charged with one count of theft.
Burwood was found guilty of stealing 15 face masks, a handful of disposable gloves and 10 alcohol wipes at a WA Magistrates Court hearing.
The board referred her to the State Administrative Tribunal, which found Burwood guilty of professional misconduct and ordered her registration canceled and her barred from applying for registration for 12 months.
The country was in the midst of a shortage of personal protective equipment when Burwood took 15 masks, disposable gloves and 10 alcohol wipes (stock image)