Facts
The Member admitted that she engaged in professional misconduct. Between September 1, 2020 and October 16, 2020, while employed as a Registered Practical Nurse in a Long Term Care facility, the Member stole 31 capsules of hydromorphone from patients at the facility. The Member removed hydromorphone capsules from blister packs belonging to patients for her own use and replaced the capsules with Effexor from the medication room’s waste bin. The Member also failed to intervene when her nursing colleagues unknowingly administered Effexor to patients. The Member was charged with six counts of theft under $5000 in connection with the hydromorphone, and failed to report the charges to the College of Nurses of Ontario.
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;
- misappropriated property from a client or workplace;
- contravened a term, condition or limitation on her certificate of registration; 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 10-month suspension;
- terms, conditions and limitations, including:
- attending at least 2 meetings with a Regulatory Expert;
- employer notification for 18 months; and
- no independent practice for 18 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.