NURSING REGULATOR RECEIVES COMPLAINT
Recommendations will be shared with the patient’s family at their request
Investigation continues into body of patient found outside regional hospital.
Nova Scotia’s regulatory body for registered nurses has received a complaint into the February death of a patient found dead outside the Cape Breton Regional hospital.
A body was discovered on hospital grounds at around 4 a.m. on Feb. 23.
Although the man’s name has not been released, he was believed to be an in-patient awaiting transfer to a longterm care facility.
According to other media sources, he was also a patient suffering from dementia.
“We can confirm we received a complaint related to this incident,” said Jane Wilson, communications consultant for the College of Registered Nurses of Nova Scotia.
“In accordance with our usual process we will be reviewing the complaint and determining our next steps.”
Wilson said there may be aspects of the incident that would fall outside the college’s authority.
These issues might best be handled by the health authority, police or the regulators of other professionals, she said.
A spokesperson for the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Nova Scotia was also made aware of the incident but could not confirm if a complaint is now under investigation. On Wednesday, the union which represents hundreds of hospital, daycare and nursing home workers in Cape Breton acknowledged that a member from Sydney was terminated following a serious incident in February.
Unifor refused to provide any further comment.
The role of both provincial nursing authorities is to intervene when the practise of one of their members has been called into question.
Among the sanctions that can be imposed on RNs or LPNs are reprimands, suspensions, along with revocation or restrictions placed on licences.
Regulatory officials say public notification is made through their websites when an interim suspension or licensing restriction is imposed.
Health authority spokesperson, Kristen Lipscombe, said Wednesday that a quality review has been initiated and recommendations made will be shared with the patient’s family at their request.
Lipscombe said the health authority does not speak to reviews in specific cases.
“The quality review process looks at learning and improvement opportunities, and how we can improve services or client outcomes in the future,” she said.
“Until we have additional discussions with the family and complete our quality review, it isn’t appropriate for us to continue talking or addressing the case publicly.
Lipscombe said this situation that is deeply upsetting for the family and for staff who cared for the patient.
She said officials will try their best to answer any questions the family has regarding the patient’s care.
There has been no confirmation of job losses from the health authority, as officials say personnel matters are considered private and confidential.
At the request of the provincial medical examiner’s office, Cape Breton Regional police began their probe into man’s death shortly after his body was discovered.
Police spokesperson Desiree Vassallo said Wednesday that they are still early in their investigation.
This is not the first time a patient has escaped from supervision at the Sydney hospital and died.
Last year, a 54-year-old military veteran from Cheticamp walked away from the George Street facility and was fatally struck by a vehicle on a nearby four-lane divided highway.
Jackie Deveau had checked himself into the hospital two days prior for post-traumatic stress disorder.