Facts
The Member admitted that she engaged in professional misconduct. In July 2020, the College of Nurses of Ontario (“CNO”) received a letter of report from the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care regarding the Member’s activity on her social media accounts relating to COVID-19 and associated public health measures. The Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee (“ICRC”) considered CNO’s investigation and the Member’s response to the investigation, and expressed concern that four of the Member’s social media posts about COVID-19 were plainly false, inaccurate or misleading. The ICRC noted that the Member had used her title as a Nurse Practitioner to lend legitimacy to the false statements. On October 6, 2021, the ICRC ordered the Member to complete a remediation program and appear to be cautioned. The Member brought an application for judicial review of the ICRC’s order, which was dismissed on September 30, 2022, and her motion for leave to appeal to the Court of Appeal was dismissed on July 31, 2024. Thereafter, the Member has failed to comply with the ICRC’s order.
The Member also inappropriately used the restricted title “Nurse Practitioner” after December 23, 2020, when she no longer held an extended class certificate of registration.
Discipline Committee’s Findings
Based on the Member’s admissions, a panel of the Discipline Committee of the CNO (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;
- inappropriately used a term, title or designation in respect of her practice; 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 Member signed an undertaking to permanently resign as a member of the College of Nurses of Ontario (“CNO”) and agreed not to apply for membership with CNO at any time in the future.
In light of the Member’s undertaking, CNO and the Member jointly sought an order requiring the Member to appear before the Panel for an oral reprimand.
The Panel accepted the Joint Submission on Order, concluding that the proposed penalty was reasonable and in the public interest. The Member cooperated with CNO and accepted responsibility by agreeing to the facts and a proposed order.