Care home regional manager loses nursing licence for three years

Photo: Golden Life Management

Joseph Creek Village

The regional manager for a number of Interior care homes has been barred from nursing for three years for failing to protect vulnerable women from a male resident in a Cranbrook care home.

In a recently posted consent agreement, the British Columbia College of Nurses & Midwives cancelled Joyce Turner's nursing registration for a three-year period, after “numerous incidents of sexual misconduct against cognitively impaired and/or otherwise vulnerable women” by a single man was documented by staff at Cranbrook's Joseph Creek Care Village. The incidents occurred between 2018 and 2020.

“[The reported incidents] were serious in nature so that the Director of Care, Community Manager, mental health, and the police were involved in several instances,” the British Columbia College of Nurses & Midwives said in a recent consent agreement.

“The BCCNM was not satisfied that Ms. Turner, in her administrative role, took steps to verify that the incidents were reported, to report the incidents herself to Community Care Facilities Licensing, or to address the risk of harm to vulnerable female residents in a meaningful and substantive manner, which in BCCNM's view left female residents in her care vulnerable to sexual predation.”

Turner was the regional manager for Golden Life Management which owns Joseph Creek Village, and she oversaw a number of facilities in the region. The company owns 17 facilities in B.C. and Alberta.

In the consent agreement, the BCCNM says Turner did not properly manage “specific and systemic issues at Joseph Creek Care Village ... that were necessary to protect vulnerable female residents from the unwanted sexual advances, aggression, and assaults by a male resident with a known history of sexual misconduct, who himself was vulnerable resident with unmet care needs.”

In a brief statement, Golden Life Management would not comment on the specific incidents that occurred at Joseph Creek Care Village, only stating the investigation by the BCCNM did not involve Golden Life.

“Although an investigation was conducted by BCCNM, our executive team nor Ms. Turner’s direct supervisor was ever contacted during the investigation to discuss the case,” Golden Life said in a statement.

“Golden Life Management endeavours to protect all residents that reside in our villages. We report all reportable incidents and create health and safety plans with the applicable parties including Interior Health, family, mental health doctors, and RCMP to ensure the safety of those in our care.”

The BCCNM says Turner agreed to the cancellation of her nursing registration, and she'll be unable to work as a licensed practical nurse in B.C. for at least three years.

Turner no longer works for Golden Life, as she quit the company in May of this year to move closer to her family in Alberta.