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Lynne Tanguay, JD00192
Facts
The Member admitted that she engaged in professional misconduct when she made numerous medication errors, including failing to administer insulin 82 times over approximately eight months while caring for a patient and failing to recognize that an insulin order for that patient had been discontinued. The Member also inappropriately delegated nursing tasks when she asked a visitor to administer medication to a patient and attempted to improperly delegate the application of a steroidal cream to an unregulated care provider. The Member also admitted that she asked for a report regarding a patient’s personal health information in a public area, left a patient’s medications in the dining room unsupervised, failed to adequately assess a patient and repeatedly stated, “my shift is over, I don’t have time for this”, when assisting another patient after a fall.
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 4-month suspension; and
- 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 the Joint Submission on Order. The Panel stated that the Order would send a strong message to the Member and the membership that there will be serious consequences when facility policies and CNO standards are not followed.
