Officials at a Nova Scotia nursing home have suspended two nurses who taped an elderly woman's mouth shut. They then drew a smiley face on the tape.
The incident happened late last month at nursing home in New Glasgow, but administrators only heard about the matter recently.
Administrators said the two nurses used medical tape on the mouth of an agitated 85-year-old woman. The thin, almost clear tape is commonly used to hold bandages on skin, and not very sticky.
"We don't condone the action at all," administrator Jim Ferguson told CTV Atlantic.
"It is, in fact, abuse -- a form of abuse. Although, in this situation it was not done maliciously."
The home's board of directors suspended the nurses for what it called "witless humour" and "repugnant conduct."
Other staff members also face disciplinary action.
"There were other employees that knew of the incident and it wasn't reported right away," said Don Hussher, the board's chairman.
There are more than 200 residents at the home, and the incident has shocked many of their families.
"You're talking about a person who deserves our respect, not to be taped up and left in the corner, unable to make a sound," said Tim MacKenzie, a relative of one of the home's residents.
News of the incident reached the province's Legislature on Wednesday, and Health Minister Chris d'Entremont vowed that his department would look into the matter.
"Outside of my stomach turning, this is not something that I want to see happen to anyone we have in care," he told reporters.
"This is something I will take quite seriously and continue to look at over the next few days."
Meanwhile, the two nurses have accepted their suspension without grievance. Administrators said they are currently scheduling a program on how to settle workplace conflicts for employees.
Janet Hazelton, the head of Nova Scotia's nursing union, said the incident is disturbing but officials have taken appropriate action.
"Everyone is satisfied that, although the incident ought not to have happened, it's been dealt with, and dealt with most appropriated by everyone involved," she said.
With a report by CTV's Dan MacIntosh in New Glasgow
