Disciplinary Matters and Decisions

The College of Registered Nurses of Alberta (CRNA) has a regulatory obligation under the Health Professions Act (HPA) to make public:

• Sanctions (penalties) or conditions imposed on a registrant’s practice permit
• Access to decisions of a hearing tribunal
• Publish on the website decisions relating to sexual abuse or sexual misconduct

The CRNA believes in public disclosure beyond the mandatory provisions of the HPA. This disclosure is based on prevailing good practices and grounded in the public interest to increase transparency and public confidence in the decisions of the regulatory college.

Hearing Tribunal Decisions

The CRNA publishes disciplinary decisions to advise the public of findings of unprofessional conduct and resulting sanctions. Publishing decisions reinforces safe and proper nursing practice to protect public safety and educate registrants about what constitutes unprofessional or unethical behaviour.

The CRNA complies with the required disclosure provisions under the HPA, Part 8.3, which are the minimum requirements for website publications.

• Personal or health information will be redacted from the notice to attend a hearing, decisions at the registrar's discretion or delegate.
• For a complaint dismissed by the hearing tribunal, or any appeal body, the CRNA will not publish any publication about the complaint and the decision.

Appeals

• A decision of unprofessional conduct will remain published despite an application of appeal unless the decision is stayed.
• A decision of no finding of unprofessional conduct will not be published. However, if the matter is appealed, a notation will appear on the website acknowledging the decision is under appeal.
• If an appeal body reverses a finding of unprofessional conduct, all previous related decisions will no longer be published.
• If an appeal body reverses a dismissal and makes a finding of unprofessional conduct, that decision and all previous related decisions will be published.

Publication Guidelines

Decisions or disciplinary agreements will be published on the CRNA website for three years from the date of the decision or signing of the agreement. As required by the HPA, any findings of sexual abuse or sexual misconduct will be published indefinitely.

• The publication will occur promptly after a redacted copy is prepared.
• If a registrant wants to have a decision of no unprofessional conduct published, they may apply in writing to the registrar or delegate.
• A statistical summary of all complaints received will be published annually.
• In the public interest, other external facing methods (such as media) may be used at the discretion of the registrar or delegate.