Facts
The Member admitted that she engaged in professional misconduct. Between December 2021 and January 2022, the Member was employed as a Nurse Practitioner by Canadian COVID Telehealth Inc. (“CCTI”). During the Member’s employment at CCTI, she prescribed Ivermectin as prevention and/or treatment for COVID-19 to most patients she saw, and Hydroxychloroquine to six patients. She routinely prescribed Vitamin D and Vitamin C for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19, including to patients with serious health issues. By the time the Member began working with CCTI, global and Canadian health authorities had cautioned against prescribing Ivermectin and other unapproved substances for the treatment of COVID-19 and there were no randomized trials or other high-quality evidence supporting the use of these substances.
Discipline Committee’s Findings
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 partial Joint Submission on Order requesting that the Panel make an order that included the following:
- an oral reprimand;
- a suspension, which the College submitted ought to be 9 months while the Member submitted that an appropriate suspension would be 2 months;
- terms, conditions and limitations, including:
- successful completion of a number of Online Learning Modules from the National Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools within 6 months;
- attending 1 meeting with a CNO Education Consultant following the completion of the Online Learning Modules;
- attending a minimum of 2 meetings with a Regulatory Expert;
- employer notification for 12 months; and
- no independent practice until the Member has completed the Online Learning Modules, attendance with a CNO Education Consultant and the meetings with a Regulatory Expert.
The Panel accepted the partial Joint Submission on Order, and imposed an 8-month suspension of the Member’s certificate of registration. The Panel concluded that the proposed penalty, including the suspension, was reasonable and in the public interest.