Facts
The Member admitted that she engaged in professional misconduct. Between January and October 2019, at two different facilities and in respect of seven different patients, the Member:
- failed to adequately document the administration or waste of midazolam to a patient;
- failed to intervene as ordered when a patient’s potassium level dropped; failed to intervene and document appropriately when a patient’s arterial line came out;
- failed to intervene appropriately when a patient received a critical aPTT result;
- administered hydromorphone without authorization;
- failed to place a c-collar on a patient on full spinal precautions;
- failed to apply pacer pads to a patient requiring emergent intervention despite multiple directions to do so by a physician;
- administered a double dose of insulin to a patient without authorization and failed to document administering insulin to the patient; and
- failed to adequately document in the charts of several patients.
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;
- failed to keep records as required; and
- engaged in conduct, relevant to the practice of nursing, that, having regard to all the circumstances, would reasonably be regarded by members as 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 4-month suspension;
- terms, conditions and limitations, including:
- attending a minimum of 2 meetings with a Regulatory Expert;
- employer notification for 12 months;
- mentorship for 12 months; and
- no independent practice 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.