As the nursing regulator in Ontario, CNO’s purpose is to protect the public by promoting safe nursing practice.

How you can help to protect patient safety

If you have a serious concern about a nurse’s practice, we need to hear about it. When we are informed, we can take the steps necessary to protect patients’ safety.

There are two ways to share a concern with CNO:

1. A “complaint”
Anyone with concerns about a nurse’s conduct, practice or capacity can make a complaint.

2. A “report”
Nurses can be reported for misconduct, incompetence, incapacity or patient abuse by a range of people, including employers, colleagues, police, other regulators, coroners and others. Nurses are also required to self-report in some circumstances.

Other CNO webpages about protecting the public

Confirm a Nurse’s Status

Determine whether an individual is registered with CNO to practice nursing in Ontario, and whether there are any restrictions on a nurse’s practice.

Discipline Decisions

Results of past public discipline hearings held by the CNO's Discipline Committee.

Discipline Hearings

Schedule of upcoming discipline hearings and information on how to view a hearing.

Unregistered Practitioners

A list of individuals who have sought employment as a nurse, or claimed to be a nurse, in Ontario but are not nurses registered with CNO.

Preventing Harm

Although most nurses provide quality care and contribute to patient safety, a small number of nurses intentionally harm their patients. Find out more about preventing intentional harm, including sexual abuse.

Employer Resources

Employers of nurses play an important role in working with CNO to protect the public’s right to safe and ethical nursing care.

Code of Conduct for Nurses

CNO’s Code of Conduct is a practice standard describing the accountabilities all nurses registered in Ontario have to clients, employers, colleagues and the public.

Nurses’ Health Program

The Nurses’ Health Program is a voluntary program for nurses focused on encouraging them to seek treatment for substance use and/or mental health disorders that may affect their ability to practice nursing safely.