Nurse cleared of wrongdoing as health authority says complaints were bogus

CBC
·1 min read
Ron Johnson, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Eastern Urban Zone of Health Services, says he is relieved that the investigation into the allegations against a registered nurse turned out to be false. He says that by the end of this day, they will notify all the families affected. (Mark Quinn/CBC - image credit)
Ron Johnson, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Eastern Urban Zone of Health Services, says he is relieved that the investigation into the allegations against a registered nurse turned out to be false. He says that by the end of this day, they will notify all the families affected. (Mark Quinn/CBC - image credit)
Ron Johnson, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Eastern Urban Zone of Health Services, says he is relieved that the investigation into the allegations against a registered nurse turned out to be false. He says that by the end of this day, they will notify all the families affected.
Ron Johnson, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Eastern Urban Zone of Health Services, says he is relieved that the investigation into the allegations against a registered nurse turned out to be false. He says that by the end of this day, they will notify all the families affected.

Ron Johnson, vice-president and chief operating officer of Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services' Eastern-Urban zone, says he's relieved that allegations of misconduct against a registered nurse turned out to be false. (Mark Quinn/CBC)

A registered nurse who was placed on leave following a complaint of misconduct has been cleared by an investigation, says Newfoundland and Labrador's provincial health authority.

Ron Johnson, vice-president and chief operating officer of Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services' Eastern-Urban zone, says allegations this week against a nurse at Pleasant View Towers were unfounded.

"The staff member did no wrongdoing," Johnson said Thursday.

Numerous anonymous letters were sent to health officials and the media this week, alleging that a registered nurse took nude photos of dementia patients.

"As soon as we got that tip, we took that person out of the workplace because we would not want any potential of placing these residents in any harm," said Johnson.

N.L. Health Services is notifying everyone involved, particularly the patients' families, of the investigation's outcome, he said.

The employee is in the process of returning to work, Johnson said. The letters will be investigated to try to determine who sent them — and why.

"I'm relieved for the residents and the employees. I apologize to all the people who experienced discomfort because of it. But at the same time, I'm happy about the positive outcome."

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