Supreme Court won’t hear case of Alberta nurses disciplined for stealing drugs

OTTAWA – The Supreme Court of Canada won’t hear an appeal from two Alberta nurses who were disciplined for stealing narcotics and falsifying records.

Genevieve Wright and Mona Helmer were reprimanded and suspended for unprofessional conduct by the Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta.

The two, who were addicts, argued that their drug dependency was essentially a disability which should have been taken into account by the tribunal.

The tribunal ruled in 2010 there was no link between their theft and their addictions and imposed sanctions.

A majority ruling of the Alberta Court of Appeal upheld the tribunal’s findings.

As usual, the Supreme Court gave no reasons for refusing to hear the appeal.