On January 30, 2018, a panel of the Inquiry Committee approved a Consent Agreement between CRNBC and Heather Hale of Duncan, BC, to remediate issues related to:
- the failure to document assessments on patients in the ER on May 25 and June 10, 2015;
- the failure to document assessments on 20% of the patients in the ER during four shifts in October 2015;
- the failure to assess or adequately care for a critically ill patient on October 24 and a second patient on October 25, 2015, or admit the errors on review;
- the failure to assess a patient and witness the ingestion of a narcotic analgesic on October 27, 2015.
The Registrant did not work as nurse from November 2015 to August 2016. A reported review of her current practise does not demonstrate the documentation and assessment issues present in 2015.
The Registrant has agreed to a 90-day suspension for the conduct. Following the suspension, the Registrant has agreed to return to practice in accordance with terms equivalent to a limit on practice, including:
| a. | A limit on her area of practice to medical or surgical nursing (non-critical care) for 12 months. |
| She will also: |
| a. | Complete education focused on the legal responsibility to document, and ethical practice related to accountability and responsibility; |
| b. | Create and follow a Learning Plan focused on documentation and assessment, which will be freely shared with the employer and CRNBC;
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| c. | Meet with a CRNBC Regulatory Practice Consultant to complete a self-assessment identifying the circumstances leading to the current issues and preventing their recurrence; |
| d. | Provide consent for oversight and performance management in the workplace; |
| e. | Provide consent for CRNBC to maintain regular contact with the Registrant’s current manager or any future manager for two years.
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The Inquiry Committee is satisfied that the terms will protect the public.