In a written decision dated October 19, 2021, the Adjudication Tribunal found Gregory Mercer, Registration No. 19604 the “Respondent”) guilty of conduct deserving of sanction under the Registered Nurses Act, 2008, subsection 18(c)(i) professional misconduct and 18(c)(v) breach of the Code of Ethics for Registered Nurses. The Adjudication Tribunal accepted an Agreed Statement of Facts and ordered that the Respondent complete specified Code of Ethics learning modules; review College documents/resources; submit a written reflection; and meets with a College Nursing Consultant, Policy and Practice. The Adjudication Tribunal ordered that the Respondent pay a portion of the costs incurred by the College in the investigation and hearing of the complaint.
Decision Summary
In the matter of a Complaint against Gregory Mercer, College of Registered Nurses of Newfoundland and Labrador, Registration #19604 (the “Registrant”), in a written decision dated October 19, 2021, an Adjudication Tribunal found the Registrant guilty of conduct deserving of sanction under the Registered Nurses Act, 2008 (the “Act”), subsection 18(c)(i) professional misconduct and 18(c)(v) breach of the Code of Ethics for Registered Nurses. The Adjudication Tribunal determined that the Registrant engaged in conduct deserving of sanction, which conduct included that the Registrant failed to demonstrate accountability of a registered nurse contrary to organizational policy, the Standards of Practice for Registered Nurses (2013) and the Code of Ethics (2008) by (a) completing the pre-operative check too far in advance of the patient going into the operating room; (b) failing to ask the patient to verbally confirm their identity once in the operating room; and (c) failing to complete another check to confirm the chart matched the patient after contact was broken between the nurse, the patient and the chart.
The Adjudication Tribunal accepted an Agreed Statement of Facts and order that the Registrant complete specified Code of Ethics learning modules; review College documents/resources; submit a written reflection; and meets with a College Nursing Consultant, Policy and Practice. The Adjudication Tribunal ordered that the Respondent pay $1,250.00 towards its costs incurred.
The conduct deserving of sanction occurred in or about November 2017. The Complainant was Western Health.