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Angela Fazzari, 09378014
Facts
The Member admitted that she engaged in professional misconduct. Between 2011 and 2018, the Member accessed health records for 57 patients outside of her circle of care for no clinical purpose. Some of the patients whose health records the Member accessed were known to the Member personally.
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 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 3-month suspension; and
- terms, conditions and limitations including:
- attending 2 meetings with a Regulatory Expert;
- employer notification for 18 months; and
- 3 random spot audits of electronic health record accesses over 12 months.
The Panel accepted the Joint Submission on Order, concluding that the proposed order 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.
The Panel further indicated that the order sends a message to the profession as a whole that unauthorized access to personal health information is a serious breach and will not be tolerated.
