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B.C. nurse's toileting practices part of suspension ruling

The B.C. College of Nurses and Midwives said the Surrey nurse didn't speak to patients and their family members in a professional manner.
Toilet-Getty
A B.C. nurse has been suspended in part due to her practices in helping patients use the toilet.

B.C.’s College of Nurses and Midwives has suspended a Surrey nurse for multiple practice problems, including providing patients with regular toileting "in a timely and compassionate manner."

A college panel of inquiry committee approved a consent agreement with Anna Fronek.

It said the agreement was to address practice issues that occurred between May 28, 2022 and April 21, 2023; the college found Fronek also failed to speak to patients and their family members in a professional manner and failed to administer medications in compliance with college standards.

Discipline addressed in the April 3 decision includes:

• a reprimand and a suspension of their nursing registration for four weeks;

• a limit to be employed by only one employer and not to provide regulatory oversight for nursing students or orientate new staff to the workplace;

• remedial education in ethics, professional responsibility and accountability, and client-centred care; and

• developing a learning plan to address the nurse's learning needs.

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 college said.