British Columbia nurse suspended for two months due to medication issues

The College of Nurses and Midwives of British Columbia has suspended a Chilliwack nurse for problems with a patient’s medication.

On July 24, a consent decree between the college and Leah Wilson was approved to address practice issues beginning in 2023.

The panel said in a public notice that the problems occurred between April and August 2023. They were related to failure to follow drug administration practices, failure to ensure accuracy of documentation, or failure to document at all.

“An audit conducted by the employer revealed that medication transactions could not be recorded, medication records were not signed, and required pain scales were not completed,” the statement said.

It states that Wilson voluntarily agreed to the suspension; she is also allowed to stay with the same employer for a certain period of time and is prohibited from working overtime, night shifts, acting as a charge nurse, supervising students and assisting in the training of new employees for one semester.

Wilson will also be required to be supervised for a period of time when dealing with narcotics, benzodiazepines, controlled substances and “Zed” class drugs, and there would be an additional period of indirect supervision.

The College is currently one of several regulatory bodies empowered to regulate the health professions in British Columbia under the Health Professions Act, which regulates the practice of four distinct professions: nursing, practical nursing, psychiatric nursing and midwifery.

“The committee is satisfied that the conditions protect the public,” the college said.

The newly established College of Complementary Health Professionals of BC consolidates the regulations for professional chiropractors, massage therapists, naturopaths, traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and acupuncturists in BC to ensure they have the competency required to practice their profession and adhere to safe and ethical standards of care.

Similar laws in other self-regulated areas, such as the legal and notarial professions, also provide citizens with the opportunity to be informed about disciplinary matters in the public interest.