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Christopher Giguere, AE116795
Facts
The Member admitted that he engaged in professional misconduct by entering into a personal and sexual relationship with a paediatric patient’s mother and by interacting with the paediatric patient in non-therapeutic ways during the currency of, and following the conclusion of, the nurse-patient relationship. The Member visited the patient and patient’s mother’s home during off-hours, attended birthday parties, holidays, and sports events, and purchased gifts for the patient. The Member admitted that his involvement in the family life of the patient not only strayed beyond the boundaries of a therapeutic nurse-patient relationship, but also impacted the patient emotionally as he grew to depend on and trust the Member as a steady male figure in the family unit until the relationship between the patient and the patient’s mother ended.
Discipline Committee’s Findings
Based on the Member’s admissions, a panel of the Discipline Committee of the College of Nurses of Ontario (the “Panel”) found that the Member:
- contravened a standard of practice of the profession or failed to meet the standards of practice of the profession;
- abused a client emotionally; and
- engaged in conduct, relevant to the practice of nursing, that, having regard to all the circumstances, would reasonably be regarded by members as disgraceful, dishonourable and unprofessional.
Discipline Committee’s Order
The College of Nurses of Ontario (“CNO”) and the Member presented the Panel with a Joint Submission on Order requesting that the Panel make an order that included the following:
- an oral reprimand;
- a 9-month suspension; and
- terms, conditions, and limitations including:
- attending at least 2 meetings with a Regulatory Expert; and
- employer notification for 24 months.
The Panel accepted the Joint Submission on Order, concluding that the proposed penalty was reasonable and in the public interest.
The Panel stated that conduct by nurses that demonstrates a lack of integrity, dishonesty, abuse of power and authority, or disregard for the welfare and safety of members of the public is conduct that cannot be tolerated by the nursing profession. Nurses are accountable for conducting themselves in ways that promote respect for the profession and must demonstrate ethical conduct by creating environments that promote and support safe, effective and ethical practice. The Panel noted that the Member cooperated with the CNO and accepted responsibility by agreeing to the facts and the joint submission on order.
