B.C. psych nurse suspended for contacting patient’s parents

A B.C. psychiatric nurse has been suspended for two days after he contacted a patient's parents and shared confidential medical information with them.

According to an April 5 B.C. College of Nurses and Midwives decision, registered psychiatric nurse Gurpreet Sandhu contacted the parents of a former patient by finding their phone number in a local newspaper article.

The nursing regulator says he then agreed to meet the parents of the former patient to discuss their child.

The College says the New Westminster-based nurse breached the privacy of patients by meeting with the parents in a common area of the Inpatient Psychiatric Unit.

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The nursing regulator gives no other details about what took place or the circumstances that led up to the nurse contacting the parents, or why Sandhu felt the need to do so.

Sandhu signed a consent agreement with the College admitting to his conduct.

Along with a two-day suspension, Sandhu will also have to undertake courses on ethics, privacy and boundaries.

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The College says it is satisfied that the terms will protect the public.

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