Mother calls for stricter actions after nurses suspended at Saanich care home for disabled residents
A mother is speaking out following the suspension of two nurses at a Saanich care home, where her son with complex needs lived for 300 days.
"He was treated like an object," says Edith Artner from her home in Vancouver.
She only wants to identify her now-24-year-old son by his middle name, Finn.
Finn is blind, non-verbal and has complex needs requiring 24/7 support. In 2017/2018, while living in residential care at Saanich’s Garth Homer Society (GHS) for people with developmental disabilities, Artner says her son wasn’t properly cared for.
For example, she says he was given food he can’t eat in defiance of a doctor’s report and that he suffered increased corneal scarring under the supervision of two currently suspended nurses.
"I kind of put a lot of trust into this investigation and I expected more," says Artner.
In disciplinary notices by the British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives, Euphemia Guttin and Victoria Weber were the subjects of years-long investigations following complaints from three families. Artner is among them.
The inquiry committee found Weber and Guttin were dismissive of parent concerns. Among other findings, the committee found Guttin didn’t ensure the proper policies were in place for the residential housing program – and Weber restricted the ability of some staff to contact health professionals about their clients.
While the notices say the nurses don’t agree with every finding made by the inquiry committee, they both admit to breaching nursing standards.
As a result, Guttin is suspended for 15 months and Weber for 18 months.
Both are still employed by GHS in administrative roles. In a statement, the society says: "Ms. Guttin and Ms. Weber continue to be integral members of the Garth Homer team and have our full support and confidence."
"We note that in its public notices on the suspensions as registered nurses that the college stated the inquiry committee was 'satisfied that the terms will protect the public,'" said the facility.
Artner wants an apology and to see more restrictions against them.
"I don’t want them to be responsible for vulnerable people," says Artner.
One parent has also filed a civil suit following the death of her daughter in GHS care. The claims have not been tested in court. The trial is slated for October 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
RCMP not investigating possible foreign interference cases related to Chiu, Dong: Duheme
Canada's federal police force is not investigating any possible instances of foreign interference in the cases of former Conservative MP Kenny Chiu and Liberal-turned-Independent MP Han Dong, RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme says.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Air France flight from Paris to Seattle lands in Iqaluit after heat smell in cabin
A plane travelling from Paris to Seattle was forced to make an emergency landing in Iqaluit after there was a heat smell in the cabin during the flight.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
Federal government grants B.C.'s request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces
The federal government is granting British Columbia's request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces, nearly two weeks after the province asked to end its pilot project early over concerns of public drug use.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Trudeau's handling of Poilievre's 'wacko' House turfing a clear sign of Liberal desperation
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca