File a Report

The following information is intended for employers, facility operators and health professionals. If you are a member of the public and you wish to make a complaint about a nurse’s conduct, please follow the instructions for making a complaint.

When do I need to file a report?

For employers or facility operators

Employers have a mandatory obligation to inform the College when they terminate, or intend to terminate, the employment or privileges of College members. Facility operators have an obligation to report incidents of sexual abuse, incompetence or incapacity.

In this way, employers and facility operators act as key partners in ensuring that nurses provide safe and ethical care that is consistent with the standards of practice.

For nurses

A nurse is required to immediately file a report to the appropriate regulatory college if they believe that another health care professional may have sexually abused a client.

In addition, a nurse must self-report to the College within 30 days if they:

have been charged with any offence in any jurisdiction;
have been found guilty of any offence in any jurisdiction;
have a finding of professional negligence and/or malpractice;
have a finding of professional misconduct, incompetence or incapacity or any similar finding, in relation to the practice of nursing or any other profession in any jurisdiction; and/or
are the subject of a current investigation, inquiry or proceeding for professional misconduct, incompetence or incapacity or any similar investigation or proceeding in relation to the practice of nursing or any other profession in any jurisdiction

How do I file a report?

Please review Mandatory Reporting: A process guide for employers, facility operators and nurses before you begin. The College has also prepared some some sample reporting scenarios to better illustrate the reporting process.
Download the Mandatory Report Form.
Fill out the form by clicking all applicable boxes and typing your answers into the grey text fields. Please ensure information is complete and accurate.
If multiple events led to your report, please list events separately and in chronological order.
Print your completed form and submit it to the College, addressed to the attention of the Executive Director, by mail or fax.
If you have questions or concerns about the guide or form, email the College’s Investigator-on-Call at investigations-intake@cnomail.org or call 647 253-3875 (toll-free in Canada 1 844 953-3875)

What happens after my report is filed?

You will receive written confirmation once the College receives the report. You may be contacted by the College to discuss the information.
The College’s Executive Director reviews the report, assesses the level of risk the reported incidents could pose to the public and determines an appropriate regulatory response. This may include:

directing the nurse to complete educational activities, such as reviewing practice standards or meeting with a College representative
conducting an investigation into the nurse’s practice and conduct
conducting an inquiry into the nurse’s health

If an investigation or inquiry takes place, the nurse may subsequently be referred to the Discipline Committee or the Fitness to Practise Committee, and restrictions may be placed on their practice. This information will be noted on our Public Register, Find a Nurse.

To learn more about what happens after the College receives a report, see page three of Mandatory Reporting: A process guide for employers, facility operators and nurses.

Will I hear the results of my report?

The Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 requires that details of the report and information gathered by the College remain confidential. This requirement is in the public interest for a number of reasons including that it protects patient information (such as health records) and encourages full cooperation by sources and witnesses in investigations.

If a nurse is referred to the Discipline Committee, the Fitness to Practise Committee, or has restrictions placed on their practice, the information, including the allegations, will appear on our Public Register, Find a Nurse. We will also inform a nurse’s employer if restrictions are placed on their practice.

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