At first the RPN and Rogelio are simply friendly acquaintances, but by treating her, he is entering a nurse-patient relationship with her. She is no longer simply a colleague. Rogelio has different legal and professional obligations to the RPN now that she is his patient.

As described in the Therapeutic Nurse-Client Relationship practice standard, a nurse-patient relationship is established when there is an interaction between a patient and nurse. This is regardless of the context and length of interaction. For example, a nurse-patient relationship is established during a five-minute triage assessment in an emergency room, and when working as the primary nurse on a chronic care in-patient unit.

By deciding to ask the RPN out after seeing her as a patient, then going on a date and entering into a personal relationship with her, Rogelio violated the professional boundary that exists between nurses and patients. This boundary must exist because of the inherent power imbalance that favours the nurse when a person becomes a patient. As a patient, the RPN provides him with sensitive information and may allow him to conduct intimate examinations. This requires trust between the patient and the nurse. Rogelio’s access to her personal health information and participation in her ongoing care puts him in a position of authority over her.

When they entered into a sexual relationship (which includes remarks of a sexual nature and kissing or touching of a sexual nature), Rogelio engaged in sexual abuse of a patient because of the concurrent nurse-patient and sexual relationship.

A nurse’s certificate of registration with CNO may be revoked if they are found to have sexually abused a patient.

Rogelio should not have entered into a personal and sexual relationship with the nurse while she was still his patient. If Rogelio approached you for advice, you are expected to make it clear that he should not engage the RPN in a personal and sexual relationship while she is a patient.