Health Law

The College of Nurses of Ontario brought allegations of professional misconduct against a registered practical nurse for sexually abusing a vulnerable psychiatric patient.

The member admitted to exchanging sexual messages, masturbating on videochat, touching the patient sexually, and accessing her personal health information without consent.

The Discipline Committee found the member committed professional misconduct.

Accepting a joint submission on penalty, the Committee ordered a reprimand, reimbursement for patient therapy, and the mandatory revocation of the member's certificate of registration.

The Member, a Registered Practical Nurse, admitted to committing professional misconduct by accessing the electronic health records of 43 patients without consent, authorization, or any professional purpose.

The Discipline Committee accepted an Agreed Statement of Facts and found that the Member's conduct contravened the standards of practice and was dishonourable and unprofessional.

The Committee accepted a Joint Submission on Order, imposing an oral reprimand, a 3-month suspension of the Member's certificate of registration, and terms, conditions, and limitations including meetings with a Regulatory Expert and employer notification with spot audits.

The College of Nurses of Ontario brought professional misconduct allegations against a registered practical nurse for misappropriating a vanity from her employer.

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 the standards of practice, misappropriating property, and engaging in dishonourable and unprofessional conduct.

The Committee accepted the joint submission, ordering an oral reprimand, a one-month suspension, meetings with a regulatory expert, and 12 months of employer notification.

The Member, a registered nurse, faced allegations of professional misconduct relating to medication administration and documentation errors involving five patients at a long-term care home.

The hearing proceeded on an Agreed Statement of Facts in which the Member admitted to contravening standards of practice, failing to keep records, and engaging in unprofessional conduct.

The Discipline Committee accepted the admissions and found the Member committed professional misconduct.

A Joint Submission on Order was accepted, resulting in a reprimand, a two-month suspension, and terms including meetings with a regulatory expert and employer notification.

The Member, a Registered Practical Nurse, faced allegations of professional misconduct for accessing the electronic medical records of 16 patients without consent, authorization, or professional purpose.

The matter proceeded by way of an Agreed Statement of Facts and a Joint Submission on Order.

The Discipline Committee found that the Member committed professional misconduct, as her actions breached the College's Code of Conduct, Professional Standards, and Privacy Standard.

The Committee accepted the joint submission on penalty, ordering an oral reprimand, a two-month suspension of the Member's certificate of registration, and terms including 12 months of employer notification and random spot audits.

The Member, a registered nurse, faced allegations of professional misconduct relating to multiple incidents at two hospitals, including failing to document medication administration, failing to intervene when a patient's condition deteriorated, administering unauthorized medication, and failing to follow physician orders.

The Member admitted to the allegations via an Agreed Statement of Facts.

The Discipline Committee found the Member committed professional misconduct and accepted a joint submission on penalty, ordering an oral reprimand, a 4-month suspension, and terms, conditions, and limitations on her certificate of registration.

The member, a Registered Practical Nurse, faced allegations of professional misconduct for arranging to receive a fake COVID-19 vaccine and asking a colleague to pretend to administer a second dose to circumvent her employer's mandatory vaccination policy.

The Discipline Committee accepted an Agreed Statement of Facts in which the member admitted to the conduct, which breached the College's Code of Conduct, Professional Standards, and Ethics Standard.

The Committee found the member committed professional misconduct and engaged in dishonourable and unprofessional conduct.

A Joint Submission on Order was accepted, resulting in a reprimand, a 3-month suspension, and conditions on her certificate of registration.

The Member, a Registered Practical Nurse, faced allegations of professional misconduct for failing to participate in the College's Quality Assurance Program in 2021 and 2022.

The Member ignored multiple communications from the College, citing a fear of computer viruses.

The Discipline Committee accepted an Agreed Statement of Facts where the Member admitted to the allegations.

The Committee also accepted a Joint Submission on Order, imposing a penalty that included an oral reprimand, a one-month suspension of the Member's certificate of registration, and a requirement to meet with a Regulatory Expert.

The College of Nurses of Ontario brought disciplinary proceedings against a Registered Practical Nurse for verbally, physically, and emotionally abusing two elderly patients.

The Member admitted to the allegations, which included yelling, using inappropriate force, and improperly restraining patients.

The Discipline Committee accepted an Agreed Statement of Facts and a Joint Submission on Order.

The Member was found to have committed professional misconduct and was penalized with a reprimand, a 3-month suspension, and terms, conditions, and limitations on their certificate of registration.

The Member, a Registered Practical Nurse, faced allegations of professional misconduct for verbally, physically, and emotionally abusing three vulnerable patients, including making inappropriate comments and using unnecessary force.

The Member admitted to the allegations through an Agreed Statement of Facts.

The Discipline Committee found the Member committed professional misconduct and accepted a Joint Submission on Order, imposing a 5-month suspension, an oral reprimand, and various terms, conditions, and limitations on her certificate of registration.

The Member, a registered nurse, faced allegations of professional misconduct for kicking and throwing a knapsack at an intoxicated patient in the emergency department.

The matter proceeded by way of an Agreed Statement of Facts and a Joint Submission on Order.

The Discipline Committee found the Member guilty of physical and emotional abuse, as well as disgraceful, dishonourable, and unprofessional conduct.

The Committee accepted the joint submission on penalty, ordering an oral reprimand, a 4-month suspension of the Member's certificate of registration, and terms including meetings with a regulatory expert and employer notification.

The College of Nurses of Ontario brought disciplinary proceedings against a Registered Nurse for multiple incidents of inappropriate touching and sexualized comments directed at four female colleagues.

The matter proceeded by way of an Agreed Statement of Facts and a Joint Submission on Order.

The Discipline Committee found that the member's actions constituted professional misconduct, breaching the College's Code of Conduct and Professional Standards.

The panel accepted the joint submission on penalty, ordering an oral reprimand, a three-month suspension of the member's certificate of registration, and terms including meetings with a regulatory expert and 12 months of employer notification.

The Member, a registered nurse, faced allegations of professional misconduct for committing time theft by working and receiving pay from two different healthcare facilities simultaneously on ten occasions.

She was also alleged to have breached patient privacy by accessing the records of approximately 75 patients from one facility while working at the other.

The Member admitted to the allegations through an Agreed Statement of Facts.

The Discipline Committee found that the Member committed professional misconduct, including misappropriation of property and dishonourable conduct.

Accepting a joint submission on penalty, the Committee ordered an oral reprimand, a 4-month suspension, and terms including meetings with a regulatory expert and employer notification.

The College of Nurses of Ontario brought professional misconduct allegations against the member for crossing professional boundaries with a patient and engaging in inappropriate, sexually harassing behaviour towards two nursing colleagues.

The matter proceeded by way of an Agreed Statement of Facts and a Joint Submission on Order.

The Discipline Committee found that the member committed professional misconduct by contravening the standards of practice and engaging in dishonourable and unprofessional conduct.

The Committee accepted the joint submission, ordering an oral reprimand and noting the member's undertaking to permanently resign from the profession.

The Member, a registered nurse, faced allegations of professional misconduct for accessing the electronic health records of multiple patients without consent or authorization.

The Member admitted to the allegations and the parties proceeded by way of an Agreed Statement of Facts and a Joint Submission on Order.

The Discipline Committee found that the Member breached the College's standards of practice and engaged in dishonourable and unprofessional conduct.

The Committee accepted the joint submission on penalty, ordering a reprimand, a 3-month suspension of the Member's certificate of registration, and the imposition of terms, conditions, and limitations including meetings with a regulatory expert and employer notification.

The Member, a Registered Nurse, faced allegations of professional misconduct for failing to monitor patients in a Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit and falsifying records to indicate the monitoring had occurred.

One patient suffered multiple falls and injuries during the unmonitored period.

The Member admitted to the allegations via an Agreed Statement of Facts.

The Discipline Committee found the Member committed professional misconduct and accepted a Joint Submission on Order, imposing a reprimand, a 3-month suspension, and terms and conditions including meetings with a Regulatory Expert and employer notification.

The College of Nurses of Ontario brought allegations of professional misconduct against the Member for submitting false claims to her employer's group benefit plan.

The Member admitted to the allegations, acknowledging she submitted claims for products and services she did not receive, totaling $7,170.

The Discipline Committee accepted an Agreed Statement of Facts and found the Member committed professional misconduct by contravening standards of practice, misappropriating property, and engaging in dishonourable and unprofessional conduct.

The Committee accepted a Joint Submission on Order, imposing a reprimand, a 4-month suspension, and conditions on her certificate of registration.

The College of Nurses of Ontario brought discipline proceedings against a Registered Nurse for failing to provide adequate care, failing to document care, and failing to wear required Personal Protective Equipment in the Emergency Department.

The Member did not attend the hearing.

The Discipline Committee found that the Member committed professional misconduct by breaching multiple standards of practice, failing to keep records, and engaging in dishonourable and unprofessional conduct.

The Committee ordered an oral reprimand, a 10-month suspension of the Member's certificate of registration, and imposed extensive terms, conditions, and limitations on his practice.

Former psychiatric patients alleged that experimental ‘social therapy’ programs at a provincial psychiatric facility between 1968 and 1979 constituted torture and unlawful experimentation.

The plaintiffs moved to amend their statement of claim to add five additional former patients as plaintiffs decades after the events.

The defendants argued the claims were statute‑barred under historical limitation provisions in the Medical Act, Health Disciplines Act, Mental Hospitals Act, and Mental Health Act.

The court held it was not plain and obvious that those limitation provisions applied where the alleged conduct amounted to torture rather than professional services or treatment.

The motion to amend and add the additional plaintiffs was granted without prejudice to the defendants’ right to later raise limitation defences.

The plaintiff alleged that his former spouse knowingly infected him with HIV and sued multiple defendants, including the federal Crown, an immigration medical examiner, and the employer of the spouse.

The defendants brought motions for summary judgment dismissing the claims.

The court held that the action was statute‑barred under the Limitations Act, 2002 because the plaintiff had sufficient knowledge of material facts when he was diagnosed as HIV‑positive in March 2004 but commenced the action in 2008.

The court further held that neither the federal government nor the immigration physician owed a private law duty of care to the plaintiff under the Anns/Cooper framework, and there was no evidentiary basis for negligence or vicarious liability against the nightclub employer.

The claims against all moving defendants were dismissed.