Nurse appeals licence suspension for allegedly blocking patient's airway
Was fined $10K for allegedly covering teen's mouth and pinching his nostrils
A former Northwest Territories nurse whose licence was suspended for allegedly covering the mouth and nose of a combative patient is appealing her suspension.
Madeline Heffel says the Registered Nurses Association of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut was out of line when they fined her $10,000 and suspended her licence to practise in the N.W.T. until she completes a specialized nursing course.
The suspension stemmed from an incident in Deline in July 2011 when she and two other nurses were treating a 15-year-old male patient.
RCMP had recovered him from the shores of Great Bear Lake after he had tried to drown himself. He was hypothermic and was taken to the community's health centre for treatment.
According to court documents, Heffel says he was combative — kicking, biting and spitting on the nurses.
Heffel says as she and another nurse were trying to hold him down so they could begin treatment, he spat on her face.
In court documents, the two other nurses say Heffel then put a blanket over the patient's mouth and pinched his nostrils, blocking his airway.
One of them told the Registered Nurses Association that she heard Heffel say "I'll stop when you stop."
Both nurses filed a complaint about the incident. After an investigation, the Sahtu Health and Social Services Authority fired Heffel for abusing a patient.
She denies blocking the patient's airway. She appealed the firing and an arbitrator found the GNWT had no evidence and found in Heffel's favour.
The Registered Nurses Association of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut fined her and suspended her licence to practise in February 2014. Heffel was also ordered to pay for the cost of the association's inquiry — about $50,000.
The Board found Heffel had "failed to meet acceptable nursing standards" and her "actions were excessive to accomplish the purpose of defence and restraint."
Heffel's lawyer argues the Registered Nurses Association has no proof the incident took place, and is asking for her licence to be reinstated and for the order requiring her to pay for the cost of the inquiry to be overturned.
Her appeal will be heard in court Feb. 12 in Yellowknife.