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A woman who faked nursing qualifications to gain senior positions in aged care facilities across South Australia has been jailed for at least 14 months.
- Jennifer Reed stole details of a registered nurse
- She worked in several aged care facilities across SA
- Judge said it was a deliberate and well-planned course of deception
Jennifer Anne Reed, 65, pleaded guilty to seven counts of deception relating to nursing positions she acquired at aged care facilities between 2009 and 2014.
The District Court heard she stole the details of a registered nurse with a similar name and forged documents and references to apply for positions.
The court heard she was employed at facilities in Evanston Park, Elizabeth East, Gawler, Moonta, Willaston, Seaton, Semaphore, Port Adelaide, Grange and Angle Park.
It heard during her employment she administered medication including morphine to the elderly residents.
Judge Paul Muscat said it was a deliberate and well-planned course of deception that amounted to a serious breach of trust.
"You not only deceived your employers, but worse, the aged residents and their families," Judge Muscat said.
"Every resident at those nursing homes was entitled to the professional care of a qualified registered nurse, not an imposter like you were.
"Your lack of qualifications potentially placed the aged residents who you were supposed to care for at risk."
The court heard Reed held a certificate in aged care, but had forged her nursing qualifications to gain a higher wage.
Judge Muscat said she received a total of more than $340,000 in salaries during the offending.
"The amount of money you benefited through prolonged deception was substantial," Judge Muscat said.
"Your offending ... was motivated by your dire financial circumstances.
"Mrs Reed, many, many people struggle financially or find themselves in precarious economic situations.
"They do not however resort to committing crimes to get them out of financial trouble [as] you have chosen to."
Judge Muscat sentenced Reed to four years jail with a non-parole period of 14 months.
He said there was no good reason to suspend the sentence.
Topics: courts-and-trials, law-crime-and-justice, crime, fraud-and-corporate-crime, adelaide-5000, sa
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