Investigations
When the CLPNM receives a complaint about the conduct or competence of a practical nurse, the complaint is forwarded to the CLPNM’s Investigation Committee. The Investigation Committee includes members of the profession and public representatives. The Committee may decide to direct an investigation into the allegations.
Investigation Committee Decisions
After a full review of a complaint and investigation findings, the Investigation Committee may decide to:
- enter into an agreement with the nurse, which might include expectations for remedial education, monitoring, and/or further assessments
- accept the voluntary surrender of the nurse’s registration
- censure the nurse
- refer the matter to mediation
- direct that no further action be taken
- direct that the case be referred, in whole or in part, to the discipline committee, or
- take any other action that the Committee considers appropriate in the circumstances, provided that it is not contrary to the Act, regulations or by-laws.
The Committee will give the complainant and the nurse about whom the complaint was made a written notice of its decisions and the reasons for its decisions.
Pursuant to section 28(1) of The Licensed Practical Nurses Act, the Committee may also direct the Executive Director to suspend or place conditions on the registrant’s registration when there is a question that the registrant’s conduct exposes or is likely to expose the public to serious risk. See more on registration conditions below.
Questions?
Registration Conditions
When the Investigation Committee directs that conditions be applied to a registrant’s registration, this fact is noted on the Public Register and in the Employer Verification System.
Most conditions are self-explanatory. However, there are times when a condition may require further explanation in order to be properly and consistently understood by the LPN and their employer.
Descriptions of a few of these conditions are available here.
Anytime an LPN or their employer has questions about a condition, they are strongly encouraged to contact the CLPNM.
Appeals
The nurse about whom the complaint was made may appeal an Investigation Committee decision only if the decision was to suspend or place conditions on the nurse’s licence. Other decisions by the Committee may not be appealed by the nurse.
The complainant may appeal an Investigation Committee decision to the Board of Directors only if the Committee decides no further action is to be taken, accepts the voluntary surrender of the practical nurse’s licence, and/or enters into an agreement with the practical nurse.
Before making a decision on an appeal, the Board will give the practical nurse and the complainant an opportunity to make a written submission. The Board is not required to hold a hearing. The Board will give both the nurse and the complainant a written notice of its decisions and the reasons for its decisions.
Investigation Committee Reports
These reports are submitted to the Board of Directors of the CLPNM prior to each board meeting. They are posted on the CLPNM website to inform registrants and the public of the Investigation Committee’s activity. These reports provide information on decisions made by the CLPNM Investigation Committee during the reporting period. Open cases, which were not the subject of an Investigation Committee decision during the reporting period, are not included in the reports.
The Investigation Committee considers the unique circumstances of each case when making its decisions. For that reason, complaints described in these reports as having a similar subject matter may be associated with different decisions.
