The Long-Term Care Homes Public Inquiry follows the conviction of former registered nurse Elizabeth Wettlaufer for the murders of eight elderly patients under her care. Patricia Malone, director of corporate integrity for SE Health (formerly Saint Elizabeth Health Care), where Wettlaufer worked for five weeks in 2016, gave testimony in June about the company’s hiring processes. The organization relies on its online reference tool to gather references for job applicants, and has a policy of not calling references. “I do not know what else you could get from a phone call,” says Malone. She explains when Wettlaufer was hired, her registration status was checked on the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) website, and there were no restrictions on her nursing license. “Our staff went through an incredible amount of guilt,” she says of Wettlaufer’s conviction and the call for an inquiry. “If you can’t trust a reference, where can you go to ensure the safety of your clients?” (The London Free Press, June 29)