Queensland Woman Fined for Using Fake Nurse Certificates
26 Mar 2026
She has also been ordered to pay $1,750 in legal costs following an investigation by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra).
Janette Slater, a former nurse, let her registration lapse in September 2022. Despite reminders from Ahpra and contacting them about re-applying, she did not renew her registration. Instead, she forged two registration certificates to keep working at a Bundaberg medical centre.
Slater applied for a registered nurse job in November 2022 and worked at the centre for 18 months, providing her employer with the fake documents. After an Ahpra investigation, she was charged with one count of holding herself out as a registered health practitioner.
On 24 March 2026, Slater pleaded guilty in the Bundaberg Magistrates Court and remains unregistered. Acting Magistrate Nigel Rees said her actions undermined public confidence in healthcare professionals. He noted she resigned once her fake registration was discovered.
Ahpra CEO Justin Untersteiner said the case sends a serious message.
“Working while unregistered is not only unacceptable, it’s illegal. This case shows the serious penalties for anyone trying to bypass the law and mislead the public,” he said.
Adjunct Professor Veronica Casey AM, Chair of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, reminded nurses and midwives that registration is more than a tick-box.
“Registration ensures a practitioner is safe to practise and up to date with training and education,” she said. “Renewals open early April and close 31 May. All nurses and midwives must be registered to practise in Australia.”
Patients, employers, and consumers can check a practitioner’s registration status anytime through the online Register of Practitioners. Anyone with concerns about a practitioner’s registration should contact Ahpra.
https://www.ahpra.gov.au/
Source: Ahpra / Bundaberg Magistrates Court