On June 2, 2023, a panel of the Inquiry Committee approved a Consent Agreement between BCCNM and Imelda Wright, registered nurse, of Kelowna, B.C. Ms. Wright is the franchisee owner of a Nurse Next Door franchise servicing the Kelowna and Vernon regions. Ms. Wright was responsible for a WorkSafe BC contract to provide care to a client in this community who had significant care needs and required 24-hour care.
Ms. Wright breached the terms of the WorkSafe BC contract for care for the client, as well as BCCNM practice and professional standards, when she hired unlicensed health care aids to provide care, did not ensure that all shifts were filled, leaving the client and their family to cope on their own, hired the client's son (who was not a licensed care provider) to provide client care, billed WorkSafe BC approximately $33,000 for nursing care for the client that was not provided (which was later repaid by way of claw-back), did not ensure appropriate delegation of care tasks to unrelated health care aids, and did not ensure documentation related to client care met BCCNM documentation standards.
BCCNM considers financial malfeasance and the failure to deliver safe, competent, and ethical care to vulnerable clients in community to fall on the most serious end of the spectrum of misconduct.
Ms. Wright has agreed to the cancellation of her nursing registration and has agreed not to reapply for practising registration for a minimum of 18 months, at which time she will have to meet the requirements of character, fitness, and competence requirements of the Registration Committee.
The Inquiry Committee is satisfied that the terms will protect the public.