Heather Riddell

The College of Nurses of Ontario brought disciplinary proceedings against a Registered Practical Nurse for multiple allegations of patient abuse at a long-term care facility.

The Member was alleged to have forced food, fluids, and medications on vulnerable patients without their consent, and to have yelled at and forcefully shaken them.

The Discipline Committee proceeded in the Member's absence and found that she committed professional misconduct by breaching standards of practice, abusing patients, and engaging in disgraceful, dishonourable, and unprofessional conduct.

The Committee ordered a 9-month suspension, an oral reprimand, and imposed terms, conditions, and limitations on her certificate of registration.

The Member, a registered nurse, faced allegations of professional misconduct after failing to complete required 15-minute observation checks on a psychiatric patient who subsequently died by suicide.

The Member also falsely documented that the checks had been completed.

The Discipline Committee accepted an Agreed Statement of Facts and found the Member committed professional misconduct.

Accepting a Joint Submission on Order, the Committee imposed a penalty including an oral reprimand, a two-month suspension, and terms, conditions, and limitations on the Member's certificate of registration.

The Member, a registered nurse, faced allegations of professional misconduct relating to her care of a patient undergoing a trial of labour after caesarean.

The Member admitted to restarting and increasing an oxytocin infusion without a valid physician's order, failing to document her rationale, and failing to identify and respond promptly to an atypical fetal heart rate.

The Discipline Committee accepted an Agreed Statement of Facts and found the Member committed professional misconduct.

A Joint Submission on Order was accepted, resulting in a reprimand, a 7-month suspension, and terms, conditions, and limitations on her certificate of registration.

The Member, a clinical instructor, was found to have committed professional misconduct involving the sexual harassment of two nursing students.

At the penalty hearing, the College sought a 5-month suspension, an oral reprimand, meetings with a Regulatory Expert, and an 18-month employer notification.

The Member, who was self-represented, contested the 5-month suspension, citing financial hardship.

The Discipline Committee accepted the College's proposed penalty, finding that a 5-month suspension was necessary for specific and general deterrence and to maintain public confidence in the profession.

The College of Nurses of Ontario brought allegations of professional misconduct against the respondent nurse, who was also registered as a massage therapist.

The College of Massage Therapists of Ontario had previously found the respondent committed professional misconduct, including sexual abuse of a client.

The respondent failed to report these proceedings and findings to the College of Nurses.

The Discipline Committee found the respondent committed professional misconduct by virtue of the other regulator's findings and by failing to report them.

The respondent's Certificate of Registration was immediately revoked.

The College of Nurses of Ontario brought disciplinary proceedings against a Registered Practical Nurse for borrowing money from the husband of a client with dementia.

The Member admitted to the allegations and agreed to a statement of facts.

The Discipline Committee found that the Member contravened standards of practice, practiced in a conflict of interest, and engaged in disgraceful, dishonourable, and unprofessional conduct.

The Committee accepted a joint submission on penalty, ordering an oral reprimand and noting the Member's undertaking to permanently resign his certificate of registration.