College of Nurses of Ontario Discipline Committee

The Member, a registered practical nurse, faced disciplinary proceedings for failing to provide appropriate care to a psychiatric client who suffered an anxiety attack and was later found vital signs absent.

The Member failed to follow a physician's order for constant observation, failed to document his checks, and delayed initiating a Code Blue and CPR when the client was found unresponsive.

The client subsequently died.

The Member admitted to the allegations of professional misconduct.

The Discipline Committee accepted a joint submission on penalty, ordering a reprimand, a two-month suspension, and remedial terms including meetings with a nursing expert and employer notification.

The Member, a registered practical nurse, was randomly selected to participate in a practice assessment as part of the College's Quality Assurance program.

Despite multiple notifications and opportunities, the Member failed to participate or complete any portion of the process.

The Discipline Committee found the Member committed professional misconduct by failing to cooperate with the Quality Assurance Committee.

The panel ordered a reprimand, a three-month suspension, and terms, conditions, and limitations on her certificate of registration, but declined to order costs.

The member was found to have committed professional misconduct relating to the emotional and physical abuse of a vulnerable client.

Following the findings, the College and the member presented a joint submission on penalty.

The Discipline Committee accepted the joint submission, ordering a three-month suspension of the member's certificate of registration, an oral reprimand, and terms including meetings with a nursing expert and employer notification.

The panel found the penalty addressed specific and general deterrence, remediation, and public protection, and fell within the range of reasonable outcomes for similar misconduct.

The Member, a Registered Practical Nurse, faced allegations of professional misconduct for misappropriating Zopiclone and Lorazepam from her workplace and providing Zopiclone to her partner without a prescription.

She had previously pled guilty to criminal theft for the same conduct.

The Discipline Committee accepted an Agreed Statement of Facts and a Joint Submission on Order, finding the Member committed professional misconduct.

The Committee ordered a reprimand, a four-month suspension, and terms including meetings with a nursing expert and employer notification.

The Member faced allegations of professional misconduct for practising nursing while her certificate of registration was suspended and for making false statements on her annual renewal form.

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, noting her persistent disregard for the regulatory process.

The Committee accepted the joint submission, ordering an oral reprimand and the immediate revocation of the Member's certificate of registration.

The College of Nurses of Ontario brought disciplinary proceedings against a Registered Practical Nurse for professional misconduct, alleging sexual abuse and failure to maintain the boundaries of the therapeutic nurse-client relationship.

The Member admitted to engaging in a sexual relationship, including sexual intercourse and exchanging sexually explicit emails, with a vulnerable psychiatric client while she was an inpatient and shortly after her discharge.

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

Accepting a joint submission on penalty, the Committee ordered that the Member be reprimanded, his certificate of registration be immediately revoked, and he reimburse the College up to $5,000 for any therapy funding accessed by the client.

The Discipline Committee held a penalty hearing after finding the member nurse committed professional misconduct by sexually abusing a client.

The College sought mandatory revocation of the member's certificate of registration, a reprimand, and reimbursement for the client's therapy.

The member requested that the mandatory revocation be suspended pending his appeal.

The panel ordered immediate revocation, a reprimand, and up to $5,000 in reimbursement for therapy.

While acknowledging its jurisdiction to suspend a mandatory revocation, the panel declined to do so given the predatory nature of the abuse and the absence of extraordinary circumstances.

The Member, a Nurse Practitioner, admitted to professional misconduct for failing to participate in the College's Quality Assurance program, prescribing testosterone (a controlled substance) without authorization, and failing to document her assessment and treatment of two clients.

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

The Committee ordered a reprimand, a three-month suspension, and terms and conditions including meetings with a nursing expert, a mentorship arrangement, and mandatory participation in the Quality Assurance program.

The Member's subsequent appeal to the Divisional Court was dismissed.

The College of Nurses of Ontario brought professional misconduct allegations against a registered practical nurse for failing to complete a Specified Continuing Education or Remediation Program (SCERP) as ordered by the Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee.

The member did not attend the hearing.

The Discipline Committee found that the member was aware of the order and failed to complete it, which constituted professional misconduct and dishonourable conduct.

The member's certificate of registration was suspended for four months, and she was ordered to complete the SCERP requirements and notify future employers of the decision.

The College of Nurses of Ontario brought allegations of professional misconduct against a Nurse Practitioner for failing to participate in a Quality Assurance practice assessment, prescribing controlled substances outside her authorized scope, falsifying prescriptions by adding a physician's name without authorization, and failing to comply with a previous alternative dispute resolution agreement.

The Member admitted to the allegations.

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

Accepting a joint submission on penalty, the Committee ordered a reprimand, a nine-month suspension, and various terms, conditions, and limitations on her certificate of registration, including meetings with a nursing expert and employer notification requirements.

The Member faced allegations of professional misconduct for practising as a registered nurse while her certificate of registration was suspended, falsifying records, and failing to comply with a previous discipline order.

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

The Discipline Committee found the Member committed professional misconduct, including disgraceful, dishonourable, and unprofessional conduct.

Accepting a joint submission on penalty, the Committee ordered the immediate revocation of the Member's certificate of registration and an oral reprimand.

The Member, a registered nurse, faced allegations of professional misconduct including forging physician orders, administering medication without authorization, and failing to appropriately respond when a piece of a urinary catheter remained inside a client.

The Member had previously been convicted criminally for acting on the forged documents.

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

Accepting a joint submission on penalty, the Committee ordered a reprimand, a six-month suspension, and various terms, conditions, and limitations on the Member's certificate of registration.

The Member, a registered nurse, pled guilty to assault and subsequently submitted a self-reporting form to the College falsely describing the offence as a 'bar fight'.

The Discipline Committee found the Member committed professional misconduct.

Accepting a joint submission on penalty, the Committee ordered a reprimand, a nine-month suspension, and terms, conditions, and limitations on the Member's certificate of registration, including meetings with a nursing expert and employer notification requirements.

The College of Nurses of Ontario alleged that the Member, a registered nurse, sexually abused a client and breached standards of practice during a night shift.

The allegations included directing the client to expose her breasts, exposing her vaginal area during a bladder scan, and inappropriately touching her genitals during a catheterization.

The Discipline Committee dismissed all allegations, finding the client's testimony to be highly unreliable, inconsistent, and likely the result of misremembered or misinterpreted events due to her altered emotional state and medications.

The College failed to meet its burden of proof on a balance of probabilities.

The College of Nurses of Ontario alleged that the Member, acting as a charge nurse, committed professional misconduct by failing to properly investigate and report a client's allegation of sexual abuse against another nurse.

The client had complained to a bedside nurse about the care provided by a male nurse during a catheterization.

The bedside nurse reported the complaint to the Member as an issue of nursing care and client discomfort with a male nurse, without mentioning 'inappropriate touching'.

The Member relied on the bedside nurse's assessment and ensured the male nurse was reassigned.

The Discipline Committee found that the Member acted reasonably based on the information provided to her and dismissed all allegations of professional misconduct, breach of standards, and failure to report.

The College of Nurses of Ontario brought disciplinary proceedings against a registered nurse for professional misconduct relating to her care of a palliative client.

The panel found that the nurse emotionally abused the client's family through rude and condescending communication, administered a saline bolus and Dilaudid without proper physician orders, and failed to appropriately monitor the client.

The nurse's conduct was deemed unprofessional, disgraceful, and dishonourable.

The panel ordered a reprimand, a six-month suspension, and imposed terms and conditions on her certificate of registration.

The Member, a registered nurse working in a correctional facility, faced allegations of professional misconduct relating to her care of a pregnant inmate.

The Member admitted to failing to adequately assess and monitor the client, who ultimately delivered a baby in her cell, and failing to inform her employer that she was not competent to care for pregnant clients without supervision.

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

Accepting a joint submission on penalty, the Committee ordered a reprimand, a five-month suspension, and terms, conditions, and limitations on the Member's certificate of registration.

Following a finding of professional misconduct for sexually harassing four coworkers, the Discipline Committee held a penalty hearing for the Member.

The College sought a five-month suspension, reprimand, and conditions, while the Member argued for no suspension or a short 30-day suspension, citing mitigating factors and character evidence.

The Committee ordered a reprimand, a five-month suspension, two meetings with a nursing expert, and 18 months of employer notification.

The Committee emphasized the seriousness of the conduct, the Member's lack of remorse, and the need for specific and general deterrence.

The Member, a registered nurse, faced allegations of professional misconduct after being convicted of criminal offences for unauthorized computer access and mischief to data following a workplace dispute.

He also falsified employment dates and references on multiple job applications.

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 a reprimand, a four-month suspension, and remedial terms including meetings with a nursing expert and employer notification.