BC Nurse Who Made 'Threatening Comment' To Patient Who Spat At Her Relinquishes Her Registration

A licensed practical nurse in B.C. has agreed to relinquish her nursing registration following an incident at her place of work.

Stephanie DeMerchant is said to have made a "profane, threatening comment" about a patient who spat at her. The patient also made racialized comments to her coworkers, according to a consent agreement by the British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives.

DeMerchant also breached confidentiality requirements, according to the report, by contacting a witness and asking her to help review the evidence and write a response.

The incidents happened between January 2021 and August 2021 but the location of the incidents is not included in the report's findings.

On April 7, 2022, a panel of the Inquiry Committee addressed DeMerchant's conduct issues but she voluntarily agreed to relinquish her nursing registration.

The committee reported that it was satisfied that these terms will "protect the public".

In a separate inquiry in March, a registered nurse was suspended for hitting a hospital visitor over the head with an umbrella and "leaving a mark" on the visitor.

It followed an encounter where the visitor was said to have been targeting the nurse with "demeaning and aggressive comments and gestures."

This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.