A Maple Ridge nurse who sexually assaulted two sedated patients has been barred from working as a nurse in the province.
Abihudi Imbai, 36, was a nurse at Ridge Meadows Hospital when he sexually assaulted two female patients in June 2012.
In August 2014, he received a six-month sentence for each assault. The sentences were served concurrently, in the community, followed by an 18-month probation order.
He did not serve any time in jail.
He was also placed on the national sex offender registry.
Known on the ward as “Nurse Abbi”, he inappropriately touched and kissed two sedated women at Ridge Meadows Hospital. The court heard Imbai administered opiates to both women, then proceeded to caress their faces and kiss their lips as they slipped into sedation.
In her stupor, one woman tried to push Imbai away, but he continued to touch her. The second woman woke up to find Imbai lying in her bed, with his head between her breasts.
The College of Registered Nurses of B.C. has barred Imbai from working as a nurse in the province, canceling his registration entirely rather than placing limits or restrictions on his ability to work.
“Mr. Imbai’s denial of any wrongdoing demonstrates a lack of self awareness and remorse necessary for rehabilitation,” reads the notice of cancellation, posted in July.
It noted that on Aug. 2, 2012, Imbai “entered into a consent agreement with the college” that he would be suspended from nursing.
But later that month he obtained employment in a private home health care provider as the manager of clinical practice – a position that required practising registration, and was therefore a violation of the consent agreement.
In February 2013, the employer learned Imbai was not eligible to practice nursing, fired him, and reported the violation to the nurse’s college.
“CRNBC’s primary responsibility is to protect the public. The Criminal Record Review Program determined that Mr. Imbai poses a risk of sexual abuse to vulnerable adults. The CRRP determination of risk was based on Mr. Imbai’s criminal convictions for sexually assaulting two female patients,” said the notice of cancellation.
“In reaching its decision and similar to the CRRP, the Inquiry Committee placed emphasis on the fact that Mr. Imbai has not admitted to the sexual misconduct with his patients, despite the criminal conviction, and there has not been any meaningful rehabilitation. As such, the Inquiry Committee concurs with the CRRP’s finding that Mr. Imbai poses a risk of sexual abuse to vulnerable adults.”
The college committee considered a suspension, but said Imbai’s lack of insight into his crimes, and lack of rehabilitation, meant there were would be no way for the college to protect the public from future misconduct, once the suspension concluded.
Imbai had 30 days to appeal the cancellation, but did not.