Peter Omant, 58, of Geelong, was put on professional suspension after Australian Federal Police raided his home uncovering more than 1000 images and videos of children being sexually abused in late 2010.

A Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal decision on Monday reinstated Omant's registration to practice nursing but attached special conditions, which were called "severe" by his lawyer after five years of suspension.

They include monthly counselling, regular breath tests, a ban from caring for children and working night shifts and require him to make disclosures to prospective employers.

The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia referred the allegations of professional misconduct and unprofessional conduct to VCAT but once they were found proven, had not pushed for Omant's registration to be cancelled.

Omant served an 18-month suspended jail sentence after admitting to three charges of using a carriage service to access child pornography and knowingly possessing child pornography, in 2011.

He was placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

In July, a VCAT panel headed by president, Justice Greg Garde, found Omant had also failed his profession's code of conduct with behaviour that was "unbefitting a nurse" and eroded public confidence in nurses.

Omant completed further nursing qualifications while serving the suspended sentence, which ended in May 2013.  A psychologist who assessed him in April 2013 found there were limited factors to suggest he represented an ongoing risk of sexual offending and argued he should he be allowed to return to nursing.

His offending had been linked to alcohol abuse.

On Tuesday, his lawyer Mark Comito said Omant was rehabilitated and that five years was an "inordinate period of suspension" which had caused him severe financial hardship.

"He has learned from his mistakes in the past and has not transgressed in any way to engage in any similar conduct which was the subject of this particular hearing," Mr Comito told Fairfax Media.

"He's ready to enter the workforce and contribute to society once again."

Mr Comito said Omant was concerned about his ability to get a job due to the "severe" conditions imposed on his registration. "They have serious ramifications for him," he said.

"The board did not seek the cancellation of his registration but have sought quite severe conditions which he will work towards and endeavour to prove to the profession that he's worthy to practice."

A spokeswoman for the board said the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency's national principals required action taken against members be proportionate and "uses the minimum regulatory force needed to manage risk to the public".

She said the board supported the outcome, taking into account several factors, which included that he has already served an effective suspension of five years and is banned from working with children.

The VCAT panel in handing down its decision accepted the suspension already served was sufficient and that the conditions imposed on Omant's registration would "ensure that both he and the public are protected during his transition back to practicing as a registered nurse."