Camosun College should explain what sparked complaints about the conduct of an instructor in the college鈥檚 nursing program and the instructor鈥檚 subsequent resignation. The administration鈥檚 secrecy leaves a dark cloud hanging over everyone involved.
The college started an investigation of Stephen Bishop after receiving complaints from nursing students who participated in a five-week practicum trip to the Philippines last spring. Few details were released about the allegations.
Joan Yates, Camosun鈥檚 vice-president of student experience, confirmed that the third-party investigation has been completed and that the college has 鈥渢aken the appropriate internal measures.鈥� She would not disclose what those measures are, citing confidentiality in personnel matters. It is not clear if the investigation found any wrongdoing.
Yates said students who shared information used in the investigation were told 鈥渢hat the confidentiality element is important to the process.鈥�
Bishop, too, refused to comment.
Camosun nursing students have been visiting the Philippines Nursing Field School for eight years. The trips allow students to engage in clinical practice in local hospitals, meeting practicum requirements while gaining international experience.
It鈥檚 a good opportunity for the students to gain experience and to observe what health care is like in another culture, but it takes them far out of reach of the college鈥檚 safety net. They would presumably rely on the instructor for their well-being and guidance. That puts the instructor in an important position of trust.
It is not enough to say this is a personnel matter, something to be kept between employer and employee. Camosun is a publicly owned and publicly funded institution; in essence, the public is the employer in this case.
The cloak of confidentiality leaves the issue wide open to speculation as to the nature of the complaints. The misconduct could range from minor violations of college policies or procedures to much more serious matters. If the internal investigation has concluded, then the results should be made known.
To leave it hanging is unfair to the students and to Bishop, and undermines the credibility of Camosun College.
