A care home manager for the Interior region has lost her nursing license for three years after a consent agreement was made citing numerous incidents of sexual misconduct that were not properly addressed.
On August 10, 2021, the British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM) posted a notice saying that a panel of the Inquiry Committee approved a Consent Agreement between BCCNM and Joyce Turner to address issues that occurred between 2018 and 2020, related to Turner’s management of specific and systemic issues at Joseph Creek Care Village in Cranbrook.
The agreement adds that these steps were necessary to “protect vulnerable female residents from the unwanted sexual advances, aggression and assaults by a male resident with a known history of sexual misconduct, who himself was vulnerable resident with unmet care needs”.
Turner was the Regional Manager for Golden Life Management and her role was administrative in nature, says the BCCNM, providing off-site service to several independent, assisted living and long term care facilities in B.C., including Joseph Creek Care Village.
“Numerous incidents of sexual misconduct perpetrated against cognitively impaired and/or otherwise vulnerable women were documented by front line staff about the male resident in question and were serious in nature so that the Director of Care, Community Manager, mental health, and the police were involved in several instances,” reads the consent agreement notice. “BCCNM was not satisfied that Ms. Turner, in her administrative role, took steps to verify that the incidents were reported, to report the incidents herself to Community Care Facilities Licensing, or to address the risk of harm to vulnerable female residents in a meaningful and substantive manner, which in BCCNM’s view left female residents in her care vulnerable to sexual predation.”
Golden Life explained in a statement that Turner ended her employment with the company in May of 2020. Golden Life adds that residents living in long-term care require a variety of different physical and mental health needs.
“Upon admission, each resident has a detailed care plan developed based on a variety of initial assessments and information provided from their care teams in community or at the hospital,” wrote Golden Life. “Care Plans are reviewed on a quarterly basis at a minimum, but more importantly they are reviewed as a residents’ needs change.
“These changes may include behavioural issues due to the progress of dementia as an example. To meet these challenges Golden Life Management works extensively with behaviour specialists from within our organization and in partnership with Interior Health’s mental health team and the resident’s physician. Families are a vital part of care planning and meet with our care team upon admission, within first 90 days, at annual care conferences or as required when care needs substantially change.”
Golden Life says that even with robust collaboration, care planning and behavioural interventions, incidents to occur.
“In those events, Golden Life Management follows all reporting requirements as per the Community Care and Assisted Living Act and Residential Care Regulations,” said the statement. “Reportable incidents are investigated in collaboration with Interior Health and/or Licensing and serve as an early alert of behavioural or physical changes in residents or even operational or procedural problems. In any case, immediate interventions and corrective actions are implemented.”
Turner has agreed to cancel her nursing registration and to a prohibition on reapplication for a period of three years.
The BCCNM says that Turner will be unable to work as an LPN in B.C. for a minimum of three years.
“Should she reapply for practicing registration at the end of the three-year term, she will have to satisfy the requirements of competence, fitness, and good character as assessed by the Registration Committee,” said the BCCNM.
Interior Health has been reached for comment.
READ: Staff shortages, substantiated concerns being addressed at Joseph Creek Care Village: agencies
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