Discipline
Matters related to the professional conduct or competence of a practical nurse may be referred to the CLPNM’s Discipline Committee following a review and investigation by the Investigation Committee. A panel comprised of members of the Discipline Committee will then be appointed to hold a hearing.
For more information about the procedures that are followed during a discipline case, please refer to section 32 of The Licensed Practical Nurses Act (the Act).
Findings of the Discipline Panel
If, at the conclusion of a hearing, the panel finds that the practical nurse:
- is guilty of professional misconduct
- has contravened the Act or its regulations, the by-laws of the CLPNM, or the standards of the profession
- has been found guilty of an offence that is relevant to the registrant’s suitability to practise
- has displayed a lack of knowledge or lack of skill or judgment in the practise of practical nursing
- has demonstrated an incapacity or unfitness to practise practical nursing
- is suffering from an ailment that might, if the registrant continues to practise, constitute a danger to the public, and/or
- is guilty of conduct unbecoming a nurse
it may:
- reprimand the practical nurse
- suspend or place conditions on the practical nurse’s authorization to practise
- enter into an agreement to limit the nurse’s practice
- direct the nurse to pay any costs incurred by the CLPNM associated with the complaint process, including costs incurred by the CLPNM for monitoring compliance with decisions
- direct the practical nurse to waive, reduce or repay money
- order counselling or treatment, and require the nurse to satisfy the CLPNM of their participation in the counselling or treatment, and/or
- cancel the practical nurse’s registration.
CLPNM Discipline Decisions
On average, the CLPNM receives 25-30 complaints per year. Most complaints to the CLPNM are of a nature that can be addressed at the Investigation Committee level without a referral to discipline.
The majority of cases are managed through approaches that focus on remediation. In this way, the CLPNM seeks to protect the public while also providing nurses, who have been the subject of complaints, the opportunity to restore their competence, professionalism and/or capacity for safe practice. For a summary of Investigation Committee cases and decisions, please review the reports available here.
If a complaint is referred to the Discipline Committee, and subsequently results in an order, that information becomes publicly available for six years, as per section 7(3)(c) of The Licensed Practical Nurses Act. At the present time, there are no discipline decisions that meet the criteria for publication.
For information about an LPN’s current registration status, visit the CLPNM’s Public Register or contact the CLPNM.
