LPN SUSPENDED AFTER SHARING PHOTO OF VULNERABLE PATIENT

(July 25th)

A licensed practical nurse in Newfoundland and Labrador has been suspended for six months after found guilty of professional misconduct related to photographing a vulnerable patient and sharing the image with a colleague.

The College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Newfoundland and Labrador confirmed that Trina Noble was found guilty of professional misconduct and conduct deserving of sanction under the Licensed Practical Nurses Act, 2005. The decision followed a hearing before an Adjudication Tribunal on June 10, 2026.

The case arose from a complaint involving an incident that allegedly took place on Oct. 16, 2021, while Noble was employed by Central Health, now known as NL Health Services, at the Baie Verte Peninsula Health Care Centre. The complaint was later filed with the college on Sept. 16, 2022. During the hearing, the tribunal heard that Noble photographed a resident who was in a vulnerable state and sent the image to a colleague, accompanied by what the decision described as inappropriate text messages. The tribunal accepted both an agreed statement of facts and a joint submission on penalty presented by legal counsel for the college and Noble’s representative. Noble was present at the hearing.

As part of the ruling, Noble’s licence to practise as a licensed practical nurse was suspended for six months. The suspension was applied retroactively from the date the agreed statement of facts and joint submission on penalty were submitted. In addition to the suspension, the tribunal ordered Noble to pay $4,000 toward the costs of the college’s investigation.

Before she can return to practice, Noble must complete education on the profession’s standards of practice, code of ethics, accountability, therapeutic nurse-client relationships, professionalism, and the proper use of social media and networking platforms.

If Noble resumes practising after the suspension, the college will monitor her performance for a period of six months through periodic follow-ups with Noble and, if required, her employer to ensure there are no further concerns involving similar conduct.