Former nurse suspended for shopping spree on friend's credit card

The former Auckland nurse clocked up over $3,500 worth of purchases on a friend's credit card. Photo / iStock

A former Auckland nurse has been suspended after stealing a friend's credit card and clocking up purchases worth more than $3,500 over a three month period.

Rouchda Jacobs his since fled the country to the United Kingdom, ignoring emails from The New Zealand Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal and leaving her victim $4,000 out of pocket.

In the Tribunal's decision released this afternoon, it revealed Jacobs met and became friends with the victim in 2011. During that period Jacobs mentioned that she didn't have any furniture for her apartment and couldn't get a credit card as she had just immigrated from South Africa.

The victim offered to open a credit card in her name so she could buy furniture as long as she would pay her back.

The pair went out and bought furniture amounting to $4,018.20.

The victim then received a welcome pack from Q Card and gave it to Jacobs without realising there was a credit card inside.

Jacobs then set about phoning the Q Card contact centre and requesting the victim's details before calling again shortly afterwards pretending to be the victim.

She then added a pin number and later changed the address to her own.

Between December 9, 2011 and February 18, 2012, Jacobs used the Q Card to go on a shopping spree at various stores including Just Jeans Albany, Full Swing Golf Centre, Hannahs Albany, JB Hifi, Specsavers Albany totalling $3,598.

However, on January 21, 2012, the credit card's address was then changed back to the victim's address.

She then received a statement revealing all the purchases that had been made before calling Q Card and asking for it to be blocked.

The victim said Jacobs admitted buying the goods and reassured her she would be paid back.

One repayment was lodged before the victim noticed another purchase had been made on February 18.

The victim left Auckland about May 2012, and Jacob continued to make repayments totalling $580 until she left New Zealand in June that year.

She was tracked down through Facebook by the victim and assured the victim she would continue to make payments - but never has.

Q Card had since agreed to waive $3,598 relating to Jacobs' purchases but held the victim liable for the purchases made by Jacobs for her bedroom furniture.

The tribunal found that Jacobs' actions were a "significant departure from acceptable professional ethical, legal and moral standards expected of any member of the nursing profession".

"This was not a one off misjudgment; it involved a systemic misuse of the card throughout December 2011 and one final time in February 2012 ... The fact [nurse] has failed to repay the monies owing even after all this time is an aggravating feature when considering penalty".

When contemplating suppression, the tribunal wanted Jacobs' name not only printed but also recommended the nursing council notify the equivalent authorities in the United Kingdom and South Africa of its decision in case she was practising there.

As well as facing a nine month suspension when, if ever, she returns to New Zealand, the nurse must undertake an ethics course approved by the Nursing Council of New Zealand at her own cost; must not undertake any sole charge role with patients including as a district nurse and she must advise any New Zealand employer of the tribunal's orders.
Jacobs must also pay $7,645 in costs.