[Expert A]

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 her handling of an aggressive elderly client with dementia.

The nurse intervened when the client was found yelling at a roommate.

While the panel found the initial intervention to remove the client from the roommate's bed was appropriate, it held that the nurse breached the standard of practice by subsequently removing the client's shoes and pants, which escalated the situation.

Allegations of physical abuse, aggressive handling, and improper documentation were dismissed.

The panel imposed a penalty requiring the nurse to complete remedial sessions with a nursing expert.

The Member, a registered nurse, faced allegations of professional misconduct for violating professional boundaries with a forensic mental health patient.

The Member admitted to maintaining a friendship, visiting, loaning money, and conducting banking transactions for the patient over several years, despite previous warnings from her employer and the College.

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 nine-month suspension, a reprimand, and the completion of a remedial workbook on therapeutic boundaries.