Facts
The Member admitted that she engaged in professional misconduct. The Member commenced a personal and sexual relationship with a patient within a year after the Patient received treatment at the Clinic where the Member worked and where the Member had provided care to the Patient. The Member also failed to report a sexual relationship between her colleague and another patient at the Clinic.
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:
- sexually abused a patient;
- contravened a standard of practice of the profession or failed to meet the standards of practice of the profession;
- abused a patient emotionally;
- failed to report an incident of unsafe practice or unethical conduct of a health care provider to the employer or other authority responsible for the health care provider; and
- engaged in conduct or performed an act, relevant to the practice of nursing, that, having regard to all the circumstances, would reasonably be regarded by members as disgraceful, dishonourable or 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;
- revocation of the Member’s certificate of registration; and
- reimbursement to the College for funding provided to the Patient of up to $5,000, should the patient access the fund.
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, by agreeing to the facts and a proposed penalty, has accepted responsibility.