N.L. woman who allegedly faked nursing licence was jailed in Ontario over 4-year-old son’s death | 24CA News
A girl who allegedly faked a nursing licence to work at a long-term care house in Gander was sentenced to 2-1/2 years in jail for the demise of her four-year-old son in Hamilton, Ont.
24CA News has realized by way of sources with direct data of the state of affairs that Lisa Driscoll — who was flagged by Central Health on Wednesday after working 25 shifts as an unlicensed nurse between August and November — is often known as Lisa Strickland.
The Bonavista girl was residing in Hamilton in 2017, when her four-year-old son, Kane Driscoll, was discovered useless in her house. Police charged Strickland with manslaughter in 2019, however she pleaded right down to legal negligence inflicting demise. She was sentenced to 2-1/2 years in jail on Jan. 15, 2021, however with credit score for time served, she solely spent 75 extra days behind bars.
Strickland informed the courtroom she supposed to return house to Newfoundland afterwards. According to the Hamilton Spectator, she informed the choose she knew she would lose her credentials as a licensed sensible nurse, and would as an alternative research a commerce on-line.
According to Central Health, a lady named Lisa Driscoll utilized to work as a journey nurse by way of the company Solutions Staffing Inc., and handed by way of the corporate’s due diligence course of.
“When we have contracted individuals come in to work with us, the verifying and vetting of the employees’ credentials that they have hired are the responsibility of the company,” mentioned Joanne Pelley, the vice-president of built-in well being and chief nursing government at Central Health.
Pelley could not say what’s going to now occur with Central Health’s relationship with Solutions Staffing Inc.
Strickland named in public database earlier than hiring
All registered nurses within the province have their names and licence numbers posted on the College of Registered Nurses of Newfoundland and Labrador (CRNNL) web site.
According to Central Health, Strickland used the licence variety of a nurse with a really related title that was posted on-line.
Central Health mentioned the issue was flagged by the CRNNL on Dec. 14. A subsequent investigation by the well being authority discovered no cases of affected person hurt associated to her work at Lakeside Homes, however two points flagged along with her efficiency “unrelated to resident care had been raised and addressed.”
Aside from the checklist of registered nurses, there may be additionally a nationwide checklist of unlicensed nurses which is compiled by the College of Nurses of Ontario. 24CA News was capable of finding Strickland’s title — in addition to the aliases Lisa Driscoll and Michelle Driscoll — on that checklist with a fast Google search.
Archived variations of the web page present her title was revealed on the web site way back to June, earlier than she ever labored at Lakeside Homes.
24CA News made makes an attempt to contact Strickland by e mail, and thru recognized members of the family.
Arrested in Newfoundland in 2019
Police started an investigation after her son’s demise in 2017. When costs have been laid in 2019, police discovered Strickland was residing in Newfoundland and had given delivery to a different little one.
Kane Driscoll died of hydromorphone poisoning. Hamilton police mentioned his demise was dominated a murder.
In courtroom, nevertheless, Driscoll mentioned she was “in the throes of addiction” with hydromorphone — a robust prescription opioid. According to an article from the Hamilton Spectator, she informed the courtroom it made her “careless.” She mentioned her son will need to have gotten into her medicine with out her noticing.
“I hope you move on to a productive life,” the choose reportedly informed her as he handed down her sentence.
A evaluation executed by a pathologist afterwards discovered Strickland was being prescribed eight instances the traditional quantity of hydromorphone, and that nothing in her charts indicated she wanted that a lot medicine.
Never once more, says Central Health
Vice-president Joanne Pelley mentioned Central Health is now reaching out to residents of Lakeside Homes and their households to verify there have been no additional incidents involving Strickland.
She mentioned your entire state of affairs has been unprecedented for his or her area, including the well being authority has handed the state of affairs over to the RCMP.
“In Central Health, it will not happen again,” Pelley mentioned, noting they will now do a second vet of all credentials earlier than journey nurses come into the area.
Neither Pelley, nor the RCMP, will verify that Lisa Driscoll is in reality Lisa Strickland.
“I can say this is an isolated incident,” Pelley mentioned.
Union raises considerations with journey nurses
Speaking earlier than news of the previous costs broke, the Newfoundland and Labrador Registered Nurses’ Union mentioned in an announcement that this case has been “incredibly upsetting for the patients and families involved. This is also very difficult news for nurses who worked alongside Ms. Driscoll.”
The union additionally decried the province’s use of journey nurses, saying it is turn out to be a rising drawback for a variety of causes over the previous 12 months.
“In less than one year, the regional health authorities spent $8.8 million on private travel nurses,” reads an announcement from the union. “These travel nurses work side-by-side with registered nurses working in our public system who face enormous pressure to care for patients in communities throughout our province. They get paid twice as much or more and have actual control over their life and schedule.”
The union says the usage of journey nurses leads to registered nurses resigning their positions within the public system to get extra pay and suppleness as journey nurses.
“This increases vacancies and makes the health-care crisis worse,” the union mentioned.
Pelley, in the meantime, mentioned the help from journey nurses has turn out to be important — besides on this “isolated incident.”
“It’s a concern for the staff, but I do want to say we work with many agencies and we do appreciate the support we get from the professionals we get when they come.”
