Former B.C. nurse fined more than $17K for exploiting elderly couple in 'very unusual' relationship

A former Vancouver Island nurse has been fined more than $17,000 after an investigation found shecrossed professional boundaries in a "very unusual" and financially abusiverelationship withan elderly couple.

LaurieTinkhampersuadedthe seniors to pay for her dental work, new glassesand medication valued at $1,600 a month,on top of a monthly stipend,according to a disciplinary notice by theCollege of Registered Nurses of B.C. (CRNBC).

In 2013, the college launched an investigation into Tinkham'srelationship with the couple, who have since died.

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Tinkhambought a mobile home with the couple named in documents as Mr. and Mrs. W. The couple left that home to Tinkham upon their deaths.

The former nurse also assumed power of attorney for Mr. W in 2012, giving her the right to make financial and legal decisions on his behalf.

In a decision released last spring, the college said Tinkham violated professional standards, ruling the nurse exploited her relationship with an elderly and infirm couple. The financial penalty was announced earlier this month.

Nurse Next Door

The college said Tinkham met the seniorsmore thanseven years ago while she was working for Nurse Next Door, which provides care to seniors in their homes.

Tinkhamlater cut ties with that organizationbut continued to work exclusively with the couple, listingher work address as their home address when she applied to have her provincial nursing license renewed in 2012.

In January 2013, a staffer with the Vancouver Island Health Authority who'd been treating Mr. W filed a complaint with the collegeafter hearing Tinkhamhadpower of attorney over the couple's finances and thatone of the seniors was paying Tinkham'sbills.

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Tinkham responded to that complaint, admitting that the allegations were true. The college launched an investigation after that.

The probefound that Tinkhamhad writtenand cashed around $11,000 inchequesfrom Mr. W's account from October to December 2012, according to the decision notice.

The former nurse claimed she spent that money onMr. W, butadmitted she'd kept some cash for herself because she was "always a couple of hundred dollars short at the end of the month."

In an interview for the investigation, Mr. W said he had agreed to give her some money "to help her out" but that it was only about $4,000.

Mr. and Mrs. W died several months apart in 2013.

Penalty 'should send a strong message'

College guidelines for nurse-patient relationships statenurses aren't permitted to have personalfriendships with clients.Financial abuse is also not tolerated, nor isaccepting power of attorney from a client.

In an interview forthe college probe, Tinkhamadmitted she "had clearly"crossed a line in developing "a close, personal friendship" with Mr. W.She also statedMr. Wmay have developed romantic feelings for her.

Tinkham was fined $17,500 for misconduct andordered to pay the college's legal fees of $16,535 last fall. She was also handed an official reprimand and can't apply to have her licence reinstated for at least five years.

The college said Tinkham's licence would've been cancelledhad it not lapsed duringthe investigation in March 2013.

In its decision, the college said the penalty against Tinkham is meant to send a message to nurses across the province.

"The public trusts [nurses] to care for vulnerable clients," it said. "[The penalty] should send a strong message to the professionthat nurses must maintain appropriate boundaries at all times."

Tinkham did not respond to CBC's request for an interview. Nurse Next Door said it could not comment on individual former employees due to confidentiality and privacy concerns.