Facts
The Member admitted that she engaged in professional misconduct. Between June 26, 2021 and July 13, 2021, while the Member was 23 years old, she worked as a Registered Practical Nurse at a summer camp. The Member’s role at the camp was to provide COVID-19 testing, screening, surveillance and treatment services for the camp’s staff and campers. On one occasion, the Member had sexual intercourse with a camp counsellor (“Client A”), and kissed “Client A” on a second occasion. The Member also witnessed a colleague providing cannabis to another camp counsellor (“Client B”), but did not intervene or report the incident to the camp’s management. There was no evidence that the Member had provided a COVID-19 test, contributed to the health record, or provided a healthcare service directly to either Client A or Client B.
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; 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 7-month suspension;
- terms, conditions and limitations, including:
- attending at least 3 meetings with a Regulatory Expert; and
- employer notification for 12 months.
The Panel accepted the Joint Submission on Order, concluding that the proposed penalty was reasonable and in the public interest. The Panel noted that the Member cooperated with the CNO and accepted responsibility by agreeing to the facts and a proposed order.