PUBLISHED JUNE 2002
Discipline Committee Of The College Of Nurses Of Ontario FULL-TEXT DECISION
Note: This is the full text of the decision of the Discipline Committee in this matter. Any information identifying clients, witnesses or facilities has been removed [ ]. The member’s name is omitted if allegations have been dismissed or if the results are not placed on the public portion of the Register.
Panel:
ELIZABETH BAKER, RNEC Chairperson SANDY BREWER, RN Member CHRISTNE BARBER, RPN Member TOM CLIFFORD Public Representative KAY WETHERALL Public Representative
BETWEEN
COLLEGE OF NURSES OF ONTARIO Michelle Fuerst for College of Nurses of Ontario
- and -
SANDRALEE BLACKWELL #73-0994-1
REASONS FOR DECISION
WILLIAM DICK for SANDRALEE BLACKWELL
Heard: JULY 31, 2001
This matter came on for hearing before a panel of the Discipline Committee on July 31, 2001 at the College of Nurses of Ontario at Toronto.
The Allegations
The allegations against Sandralee Blackwell as stated in the Notice of Hearing (Exhibit #1) dated June 27, 2001, are as follows:
- You have committed an act of professional misconduct as provided by subsection 51(1)(c) of the Health Professions Procedural Code of the Nursing Act, 1991, S.O. 1991, c.32, as amended, and defined in subsection 1(1) of Ontario Regulation 799/93, in that from September 19, 1993 through to and including March 1, 1997 at [geographical location 1]; and/or [geographical location 2] and/or [geographical location 3] and/or elsewhere in the Province of Ontario, you contravened a standard of practice of the profession or failed to meet the standards of practice of the profession with respect to the following incidents:
a. You maintained a friendship with [Client “A”], a patient at [facility A] and later at [facility B]; and/or
b. You visited [Client “A”], a patient at [facility A] and later at [facility B]; and/or
c. You loaned money to [Client “A”], a patient at [facility A] and later [facility B]; and/or
d. You conducted banking transactions on the bank account of [Client “A”], a patient at [facility A] and later at [facility B].
- You have committed an act of professional misconduct as provided by subsection 51(1)(c) of the Health Professions Procedural Code of the Nursing Act, 1991, S.O. 1991, c.32, as amended and defined in subsection 1(37) of Ontario Regulation 799/93, in that from September 19, 1993 through to and including March 1, 1997 at [geographical location 1], and/or [geographical location 2], and/or [geographical location 3], and/or elsewhere in the Province of Ontario, you engaged in conduct or performed an act, relevant to the practice of nursing, that, having regard to all the circumstances, would reasonably be regarded by members as disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional with respect to the following incidents:
a. You maintained a friendship with [Client “A”], a patient at [facility A] and later at [facility B]; and/or
b. You visited [Client “A”], a patient at [facility A] and later at [facility B]; and/or
c. You loaned money to [Client “A”], a patient at [facility A] and later [facility B]; and/or
d. You conducted banking transactions on the bank account of [Client “A”], a patient at [facility A] and later at [facility B].
Counsel for the College advised the panel that the Member denies having contact with [Client “A”] at [facility A] as alleged in paragraphs #1(b) and #2(b) of the Notice of Hearing and that the College will not be pursuing this issue.
Member’s Plea
Sandralee M. Blackwell admitted the allegations set out in