Updated 7:15pm: The two nurses who failed to adequately report and refer a 65-year-old man for melanoma treatment, who later died from the cancer, have apologised to the man's family and will receive extra training.

A rural nurse specialist and registered nurse breached the Health and Disability Services Consumer's Rights Code when they cared for the man undergoing a hip replacement, but didn't refer a bleeding lesion he complained of on his back.

The lesion turned out to be a melanoma.

When the man was admitted to hospital for a second time as part of the hip replacement a registered nurse recorded the presence of the lesion but made no reference to observation or monitoring, and didn't make a note of a painful dressing change.

It wasn't until the man brought the lesion to the attention of a physician that it was found to be a melanoma.

The commission has recommended the nurses apologise to the man's family, report back in time showing more effective note taking and are educated about note taking, monitoring and referring skin lesions.