Lodging a Complaint

Important Note

January 23, 2010 - The information below is currently under review and update. Please use accordingly and check with the CRPNBC if you have any questions.

Our Responsibility

The College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of British Columbia (CRPNBC) has a responsibility to ensure that all Registered Psychiatric Nurses (RPNs) and all Licensed Graduate Psychiatric Nurses (LGPNs) practice safely and competently.

Mission Statement

The mission of the CRPNBC is to serve and protect the public. The CRPNBC is responsible through self-regulation to assure a safe, accountable and ethical level of psychiatric nursing practice. It is accountable to the public through government regulation under the Health Professions Act. This accountability includes assuring the qualifications of those wishing to enter the profession, developing and maintaining acceptable standards of psychiatric nursing practice and fostering means to ensure continued safety to practice through a peer review process.

The College is committed to the development and enhancement of the profession and its members in its ongoing promotion of psychiatric nursing education and expertise as a public service.

Our Authority

The Health Professions Act gives the CRPNBC the mandate to 'serve and protect the public' through its registration of all RPNs (Registered Psychiatric Nurses) and LGPNs (licenced Graduate Psychiatric Nurses) in B.C. and on-going monitoring of their psychiatric nursing practice. The Act clearly identifies a discipline process to investigate and act on complaints about RPNs and LGPNs.

How do we do this?

The CRPNBC has developed two documents, Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics, that clearly state the expected level of psychiatric nursing practice and conduct of all RPNs and LGPNs. When someone's practice is being reviewed, these two documents are the guidelines or measurement tools.

When to file a complaint.

You can file a complaint about a Registered Psychiatric nurse in B.C. any time you have concerns about:

• how the RPN behaves or conducts themselves on the job or in another situation that could affect their professional duties.
• whether an RPN is doing their job competently and safely.

How to make a complaint.

Write to:

The Registrar
College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of British Columbia
307 - 2502 St. Johns Street
Port Moody, B.C.
V3H2B4
Phone: (604) 931-5200
Toll free - 1-800-565-2505 (within B.C.)
Fax: (604) 931-5277
email: Registrar @ CRPNBC

In the interest of fairness, please do not copy your complaint to another party.

Please include as much of the following information as possible:

• the full name of the RPN involved
• the name and address of the RPN's employer
• the nature of the complaint-what happened, the time(s), date(s), location of the incident(s), possible witnesses
• the names and addresses of any other persons with direct knowledge of the incidents
• copies of any documentation to support your complaint
• full name, the signature, address and telephone number of the person making the complaint

If you are writing on behalf of someone else, please state your authority to do so.

All complaints are dealt with in a confidential, fair and timely fashion.

What happens after a complaint is filed?

You will be sent written confirmation that the CRPNBC has received the complaint. The complaint will then be evaluated and referred to the Inquiry Committee with recommendations. If the evidence does not support the charge, the complaint will be dismissed.

If a complaint is investigated and found to be valid, the Inquiry Committee may request the RPN to do one or more of the following:

• consent to a reprimand
• undertake to complete such educational courses or other remedial action the committee thinks necessary
• undertake not to repeat the conduct
• offer their resignation with conditions as set by the Inquiry Committee
• set conditions on their practice
• refer the complaint to a formal hearing

If an RPN refuses agreement to an undertaking or consent, or fails to comply with an undertaking or consent, the Inquiry Committee may direct the Registrar to issue a citation for a hearing.

What happens to the RPN after the hearing?

The hearing is much like a court of law. A court reporter will record the proceedings. If the nurse is found guilty, the decision may be to:

• reprimand the nurse in writing
• suspend the practice of the RPN with or without conditions for reinstatement
• set conditions for the nurse's continued practice
• cancel the nurse's membership to practice
• any other penalties considered appropriate

What if you don't agree with the decision?

If you don't agree with the decision of the Inquiry Committee or the Discipline Committee, you can appeal to the Supreme Court of British Columbia. If you decide to do so, you must:

• file your appeal within 30 days after the date of the written decision, in a Supreme Court Registry
• serve notice of the appeal to the other parties within 14 days of the day you filed it.

Verifying the registration of a psychiatric nurse.

Only those individuals with a valid registration card are permitted to use the title "Registered Psychiatric Nurse."

Registered Psychiatric Nurses are employed by approximately 600 separate employers in British Columbia.

Employers should, on an annual basis, verify that any Registered Psychiatric Nurse in their employ who is actively engaged in providing the services of the profession of psychiatric nursing, holds practicing registration.

Registrants holding a non-practicing registration are not entitled to provide the services of the profession of psychiatric nursing.

Renewal of registration is required by all registrants on an annual basis. The deadline for renewal of registration is the last day of February of any year. The CRPNBC office would be in a position to verify registration of employees following the annual renewal process.

Annual verification of registration may be done by personal observation of an individual's CRPNBC registration card, or by submitting a list of Registered Psychiatric Nurses employed in your facility to the office of the College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of British Columbia, for verification of registration status.

Write to:

The Registrar
College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of British Columbia
307 - 2502 St. Johns Street
Port Moody, B.C.
V3H2B4
Phone: (604) 931-5200
Toll free - 1-800-565-2505 (within B.C.)
Fax: (604) 931-5277
email: Registrar @ CRPNBC

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College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of B.C.

CRPNBC Office

Suite #307 - 2502 St. Johns Street
Port Moody,
British Columbia
Canada
V3H 2B4
Tel: 604-931-5200
Fax: 604-931-5277
BC Toll Free: 1-800-565-2505

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Board of Directors

Ross Stewart - Chair
Linda Moyneur - Vice-Chair
Michele Robson - Finance Officer
Paul Anderson - Director
Anna Helewka - Director
Judith Macrae - Director
Melodie Hull - Director
Lis Pedersen - Director
Carol Robinson, Director

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Staff

Vacant,
Executive Director / Registrar
Linda Syssoloff, Deputy Registrar/Practice Consultant
Charmaine Murray, Administrative Assistant/Accounting
April Lightbown, Administrative Assistant

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Email Addresses:

Executive Director
Charmaine Murray
April Lightbown
Linda Syssoloff

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