By Liam Verster

Slave Lake doctor found guilty of unprofessional conduct

Apr 20, 2021 | 12:41 PM

A family physician from Slave Lake has been found guilty of unprofessional conduct related inappropriate conduct and language allegedly used against a nurse.

A hearing tribunal of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta (CPSA) was assembled to review complaints filed against Dr. Keith Martin.

The complaints came following an incident in which Martin bit a nurse on the upper arm. The tribunal hearing documents released from the CPSA shows that the nurse responded jokingly ‘bite me’ to a comment made by Martin. He then proceeded to bite her hard enough to leave a circular bruise on her arm.

The hearing tribunal also heard that Martin had called for the nurse to serve as a chaperone when treating a female patient by calling out the phrase “… uterus, I need a uterus.”

The documents show the nurse had made complaints to both the CPSA and the Slave Lake Health Care Centre, where they worked, in 2016 and in 2018.

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The tribunal noted that this sort of conduct completely disregarded his co-worker’s right to feel safe and respected in the workplace, and to feel respected as a valued healthcare professional. The tribunal also found Matin’s conduct was in breach and violation of sections 7, 9, and 52 of the Canadian Medical Association Code of Conduct.

Matin did not contest the allegations during the hearing on March 9, 2021.

A sanction hearing for Martin took place on April 13, 2021. The decisions made at that hearing will be made public once finalized.