Analysis Of Professional Misconduct Factors Of Elizabeth Wettlaufer Case

Elizabeth Wettlaufer

Elizabeth Wettlaufer, a former Nurse and a serial killer who has confessed her killings by herself after committing this crime for all most ten years got a punishment of life in prison with no chance for parole for 25 years. Though she was found guilty for misconduct in 1995, she was able to work with two different organizations and committed 8 murders till 2016 then she confessed two of all murders in during her drug rehabilitation program and then the chapter came in light. After that otherwise no one believed her as she said to her friends and family as well but they didn’t consider this as a serious matter and because of that the number of murders increased up to 8 including the lawyer whom she consulted regarding this. But after confessions of her, the system took time to give her punishment and finally in 2017 she found guilty by the court and got life imprisonment.

Systems and Legislation could have done better

In this case, definitely a professional misconduct was there and there were also some problems with the continuity of the health system and also, they took time for the procedures of inquiries. When Elizabeth was hired in St Elizabeth, they have checked her records with the college of nurses’ websites and they didn’t find any restrictions, so they hired her but after months the website update came of restrictions and at that time she was enrolled with homecare as well. If the college of nurses had updated on time she could not have enrolled in the job and patients could be spared from harm in hospital. The other problem with long-term care system is they don’t keep any records for insulin and other drugs which are commonly used with patients, because of that the former nurse has used that technique to kill patients and she has confessed that too. The system is broken in the sense because she was fired from her position then also, she was able to do the job for other organizations for two years. Authorities could have done better with updating and also with the regulation of system instead of just inquiring the problems because they already know the problems hiding the previous job history from people and they could have controlled corruptions in the system as in this case the nurse was certified for the procedure which she could not even perform well.

Also, the matter which catches my eye is when she was fired from her job at Caressant Care, where she killed seven patients and found engaged in drug errors, her union intervened in the situation and not only she got $ 2, 000 as a settlement but also her record was sealed and letter of reference was issued for the organization and so that, she got next job and there also she was suspected for stolen narcotics but no one reported to the College of Nurses of Ontario, the profession's regulatory body, which could have investigated her for the same. The legislation could be followed more sincerely in this case for avoiding this kind of misbehaviors.

Broken System is also responsible

Here, in this case, I believe there are some problems which are still there allow people to do crimes like the former nurse, Elizabeth Wettlaufer. As I said above there some breakage in health care system and also in law system as well but this is not only about professional systems, there also some factors which showed her personal system were also not able to recognize the problem with her. Here, if we see her as a mental patient which I believe she is because as she said in confessions, she was feeling some kind of satisfaction after all her deeds and also, caught for overusing narcotics on duty. This shows mental support to her was needed and this could have stopped her from all her crimes. She has confessed her crimes to so many people but everyone gave her advice either to change profession or not to tell anybody about that but nobody advised her to consult a psychiatrist and to confess to police about crimes. All the victims were dementia patients so, she didn’t find any restrictions in killing them. She was hired three more times at different places after found guilty in 1995 and where she has done her almost murders, they have not investigated those deaths deeply and also not gave attention to Elizabeth’s errors in medical procedures and medicines. If they have founded and reported early to a professional body, these killings could have stopped at point.

Professional Misconduct and abusing standards of practice

When I go through the case, I found professional conduct could fit at every aspect of this case and this kind of scenario, also the same for standards of practice as well. When we think at the personal level of Elizabeth, she is the example of bizarre professional misconduct because she has abused all the aspects of professional conduct. She has killed people for personal satisfaction, overused insulin on patients for attempting murders and also, she has used narcotics on duty which suggests she is a failure in following a conduct. She should have consulted a psychiatrist for her problem rather than satisfying her urges of killing people because all can know urge like this is dangerous for others and for self as well. There were also some issues with the system like, they could have inquired more for the problems found from her side and also, they could have informed professional body for all issues so that they can do something for the same. Here, standards of practice were not followed by both the organizations and the nurse. She has abused all her duties and authorities which she got being a nurse but according to me, the organizations have also failed in fulfilling standards of practice because they should have taken seriously all the problems which she created by using narcotics and also, they have helped her by involvement of psychiatrist in initial phase when she was found guilty in using drugs on-duty. Here, nobody has thought about patients wherein professional conduct and standards of practice both are defined for patients safety and benefits. Patients have suffered their life because of all misconduct.

I believe, professional conduct and standards of practice can be fitted at different stages in this case, like in initiation they could have taken responsibility in starting and could have stopped all killings. Responsibility is abused throughout the events and the patirnts’ respect is also not done in this case as well. If the standards were followed properly, this could have stopped.