The College of Nurses of Ontario brought disciplinary proceedings against a Registered Practical Nurse who accessed a colleague's electronic medical record without authorization and disclosed to another staff member that the colleague had been admitted to the mental health unit.
The matter proceeded by way of an Agreed Statement of Facts and a Joint Submission on Order.
The Discipline Committee found that the nurse committed professional misconduct by breaching privacy and confidentiality standards.
Applying the public interest test, the Committee accepted the joint submission and ordered a reprimand, a two-month suspension, and remedial conditions including meetings with a regulatory expert and employer notification.