Latest news with #BCCNM
CTV News
21 hours ago
- Health
- CTV News
B.C. nurse suspended 12 months for sexual relationship with client
A B.C. nurse's registration has been suspended for 12 months as discipline for a sexual relationship the worker had with a client, according to the regulatory body. The B.C. College of Nurses and Midwives described the relationship, which happened between July and September of 2023, as 'personal and sexual.' The nurse, who is not named in the consent agreement reached with the college earlier this week due to privacy regulations, 'documented that at the time of the conduct, they suffered from a health condition that was a factor in their conduct,' reads an online summary. 'Intimate' relationships between nurses and clients are prohibited, even if they are consensual, the college said, adding that a breach of professional boundaries can harm the patient. 'The nurse-client relationship is the foundation of nursing practice across all populations and cultures and in all practice settings. It is therapeutic and focuses on the needs of the client. It is based on trust, respect and professional intimacy, and it requires the appropriate use of authority,' the summary reads. According to the college, the nurse agreed to have their registration suspended for 12 months and a six-month ban on working in community nursing. If they return to the job, the nurse will be required to be 'followed by' a counsellor for a year. 'The inquiry committee is satisfied that the terms will address the professional and practice concerns that arose and will protect the public,' the BCCNM wrote.
CTV News
26-05-2025
- Health
- CTV News
Former B.C. nurse disciplined for ‘inappropriate physical measures' on elderly patients
A former licenced practical nurse in Victoria has been publicly reprimanded for 'using inappropriate physical measures on vulnerable elderly patients to gain their compliance,' according to the regulatory body. Melanie Piscia's 'practice issues' occurred between April and September of 2024 and also included problems related to safe medication administration, according to the B.C. College of Nurses and Midwives. 'Nurses are accountable for their nursing decisions, actions, and professional conduct. Nurses must ensure they meet BCCNM practice standards for providing safe nursing care to clients,' the college wrote in a public notice. 'Nurses are expected to care for all patients ethically and to respect and protect patients' worth and dignity.' The college says Piscia is not currently working as a nurse, but agreed to limits on her practice that would be in effect should she successfully re-register. Those conditions include a reprimand and suspension of her registration, taking remedial education on ethics and geriatric care, and working under supervision. 'The inquiry committee is satisfied that the terms will address the professional and practice concerns that arose and will protect the public,' the college wrote.
Epoch Times
18-05-2025
- Epoch Times
Woman Who Allegedly Posed as a Nurse in BC and Alberta Arrested in US
A woman facing charges for allegedly posing as a nurse in British Columbia and Alberta has been arrested in the United States, according to a B.C. police department. Charrybelle Talaue was taken into custody with the assistance of the U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement after she was located in Idaho, the Central Saanich Police Service (CSPS) said in a May 6 Talaue was charged with multiple counts of fraud, forgery, and personation after allegedly misrepresenting herself as a registered nurse, the police said. They added that the suspect 'fled the jurisdiction' while awaiting trial, prompting warrants to be issued for her arrest. The police said they believe Talaue committed the alleged offences back in December 2023 across the In their investigation, CSPS detectives extended efforts into Alberta, where collaboration with law enforcement there led to additional charges laid against Talaue in that province. Talaue has since been returned to Canada, the news release said, adding that she remains in custody and is scheduled to appear in court in Victoria on May 12. Related Stories 12/20/2023 11/4/2024 'I want to acknowledge the diligence of the investigative team and express my appreciation for the inter-agency cooperation that led to the arrest,' said CSPS Deputy Chief Kevin Hackett in a statement. Talaue was taken into custody with the cooperation of the U.S. partners as well as the RCMP and officials from the Canada Border Services Agency in Osoyoos, a town near the Canada-U.S. border. Charges In addition to forgery and impersonation charges, Talaue was Her forgery charges include 'making false documents' such as a marriage certificate, an Alberta health card, a Canadian citizenship certificate, and a name change affidavit. Talaue was also accused of fraudulently impersonating someone named Yves Anglehart, who is a registrant of the B.C. College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM), with 'intent to gain advantage for herself,' the release added. The Central Saanich Police Service said it launched the investigation after being contacted in early October 2023 by staff at Island Health, one of B.C.,'s five regional health authorities, which reported that Talaue had allegedly applied for a nursing position using 'suspicious documents.' The BCCNM issued a 'This person has never been and is not a registrant of BCCNM and is not entitled to practice as a registered nurse in British Columbia,' read the college's advisory, which also warned that Talaue may be using multiple aliases while posing as a nurse in order to obtain work in a hospital. The warning concurred with the CSPS's Dec. 19, 2023, news release. The release said the police service believed that Talaue, age 34 at the time, had applied for and worked in other health-care jobs in B.C. and Alberta under a number of aliases. They included Charrybelle Perez Talaue, Charrybelle Talaue Baldesancho, Belle Talaue, Belle Marie, Charrybelle Baldesancho, Charie Talaue, Yves Anglehart, and Belle Yves Talaue Anglehart. Jennifer Cowan contributed to this report.
Globe and Mail
13-05-2025
- Health
- Globe and Mail
B.C.'s efforts to attract American nurses paying off with more than 100 registered available to work: Premier
The British Columbia government says its measure to fast-track American nurse applications to the province's health care system has resulted in more than 100 registrants available to work in the span of five weeks. The positive initial response was achieved without advertising, B.C. Premier David Eby said in a press conference Monday, but the province will launch a recruitment campaign next month across three American states urging nurses and other health care professionals to relocate. The province, working with the BC College of Nurses and Midwives, has cut the accreditation process down to a few days from four months by using a third-party assessment organization to confirm a U.S. applicant's credentials, Mr. Eby said. Since the new process was rolled out in early April, the B.C. government said applications have increased by 127 per cent, and 113 nurses have been registered with the college, making them eligible for work. The Premier said the province is taking advantage of an opportunity created by the shift in U.S. politics under President Donald Trump to lure health care workers north. B.C. continues to face a shortage of doctors and nurses, a challenge that was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and that has led to emergency-room closures around the province. Louise Aerts, acting registrar and chief executive officer of the BC College of Nurses and Midwives, said the agency has been working with the province for several years to improve the application process for internationally educated nurses. 'It's a complex process, but in this case, a simple solution has created a big impact by focusing on the similarities between nursing in Canada and the U.S. – things like education, scope of practice, regulatory exams,' she said at Monday's press conference. The college then tapped into an existing database that allows them to quickly confirm an applicant's training and working history: 'We've streamlined the application process for American nurses without sacrificing patient safety.' When those nurses might start working in B.C. remains unclear. Rachel Smith Taylor, a U.S. nurse who joined the press conference, said she put her registration application in after a recent visit to Nanaimo to explore job opportunities. However, she said she isn't sure if or when she might transfer, because moving to another country involves a lot of logistics: 'A nurse's opportunities are endless,' she added. Mr. Eby said there are myriad reasons why nurses and doctors in the U.S. are looking for a new place to work, from the U.S. government's recent attacks on reproductive rights to Mr. Trump's appointment of vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services. British Columbia's health policies, the Premier said, offer health care workers a more stable working environment: 'It's a competitive advantage for us, and is driving interest from American health care professionals.' Health Minister Josie Osborne said the early results of fast-tracking accreditation is a 'huge win' and she promised supports to help potential recruits to find the right job. 'It is very clear to us that U.S. professionals are looking for something better,' she said, 'and here in British Columbia, we are offering just that.' Ms. Osborne said the government's efforts to recruit physicians has also been successful, but did not release figures, saying a separate announcement will be made in the coming weeks. The province's coming recruitment campaign in the U.S. will target nurses and doctors in Oregon, Washington and select cities in California. In 2022, the province overhauled the way it pays family doctors with a new model that paid roughly $135,000 more in gross annual pay, as part of a package aimed at recruiting and retaining general practitioners. Ms. Osborne said those changes mean that B.C. is now offering competitive pay for U.S. doctors who are considering a new location.
