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Dike Ebuzo, AA812103
Facts
The Member admitted that he engaged in professional misconduct. The Member worked in the mental health unit of a hospital. A 22-year-old patient was admitted involuntarily the night before the Member’s shift. During the Member’s shift, the patient’s family brought the patient personal items, including shoes with laces, which were not allowed on the unit. The Member approached the patient in a verbally aggressive manner to request that that patient remove his shoes. During the interaction, the Member made threatening remarks and failed to apply proper techniques during the restraint of the patient, causing the patient to bump his head on the floor. The Member subsequently placed his knee on the patient’s back near his neck when the patient was already on the floor surrounded by multiple security staff members and touched the patient’s head five or six times with an open palm.
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;
- physically abused a patient; 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;
- a 4-month suspension; and
- terms, conditions and limitations including:
- attending at least 2 meetings with a Regulatory Expert; and
- employer notification 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 proposed order.
