Licensed Practical Nurse Suspended After Sharing Photo of Vulnerable Patient

A licensed practical nurse in this province has been suspended for six months after being found guilty of professional misconduct for taking a photograph of a vulnerable patient and sharing it with a colleague.

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

According to the decision, the complaint stemmed from an incident that allegedly occurred on Oct. 16, 2021, while Noble was employed by Central Health at the Baie Verte Peninsula Health Care Centre. The complaint was filed with the college on Sept. 16, 2022.

The tribunal heard that Noble took a photograph of a resident who was in a vulnerable state and forwarded the image to a colleague along with what were described as inappropriate text messages.

The tribunal accepted 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 during the hearing.

As part of its decision, the tribunal imposed a six-month suspension of Noble's licence to practise as a licensed practical nurse, with the suspension applied retroactively from the date of the agreed statement of facts and joint submission on penalty.

The tribunal also ordered Noble to pay $4,000 toward the college's investigation costs.

Before returning to practice, Noble must complete several educational requirements, including training on the profession's standards of practice, code of ethics, accountability, therapeutic nurse-client relationships, professionalism, and the appropriate use of social media and networking platforms.

If Noble returns to practice, the college will monitor her performance for six months through periodic follow-ups with both Noble and, if necessary, her employer to ensure there are no further concerns related to similar conduct.