A B.C. nurse found to have engaged in sexual misconduct with a patient has been barred from practicing for five years.
The B.C. College of Nurses and Midwives released the decision suspending Port Alberni’s Aaron Forrester on June 9.
The college said it took action to address practice issues happening between November 2019 and May 2020 when Forrester violated professional boundaries with a vulnerable psychiatric patient, and engaged in sexual misconduct with that same patient between December 2019 and April 2020.
The panel decision said Forrester provided direct nursing care to the patient between November 2019 and March 2020, and continued to engage in sexual misconduct with the patient in the community until late April 2020 while the patient was repeatedly re-admitted to hospital on voluntary and involuntary bases.
The college said Forrester voluntarily agreed to terms equivalent to a condition on practice, including cancellation of registration and a prohibition on reapplying for five years.
Should he reapply in the future, Forrester will need to meet the registration committee's requirements of fitness, competence and good character.
The college is one of 18 regulatory bodies empowered under the Health Professions Act to regulate health professions in B.C. It regulates the practice of four distinct professions: nursing, practical nursing, psychiatric nursing and midwifery.
Similar legislation in other self-regulated areas such as the legal and notary public professions also allows citizens to know about discipline issues in the public interest.
“The inquiry committee is satisfied that the terms will protect the public,” the decision said.
