Lindsey Coyle of Fort Frances agreed to give up her licence during a disciplinary hearing Thursday by Ontario’s governing body for nurses, three years after she pleaded guilty in the 2015 death of an elderly patient.
Coyle was a registered practical nurse at La Verendrye Hospital. She pleaded guilty in 2022 to criminal negligence causing the death of 76-year-old Hermina Fletcher.
On Thursday, Coyle, 40, appeared by video at the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) hearing. She appeared solemn-faced, wearing a plain black crew neck and appearing to be looking downward off screen multiple times.
The CNO says its disciplinary process began after the criminal proceedings were resolved.
At the hearing, Coyle pleaded guilty to professional misconduct in the form of abusing a patient, falsifying a record, and engaging in conduct that would reasonably be regarded by members as disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional.
“I understand that whatever I have to go forward with today is what I deserve,” said Coyle, who has been out on day parole for a year.
She said that while incarcerated, she’s had a lot of time to reflect on her choices and feels remorse.
Coyle has also agreed to never again work as a nurse in any capacity. The CNO will prohibit her from reapplying for a nursing licence in the province. If she tries to register as a nurse in another jurisdiction, the CNO will inform officials there of Coyle’s disciplinary history.
In 2015, Coyle fraudulently changed a record to increase Fletcher’s morphine dose, then took the additional morphine for herself, the disciplinary panel heard. When the night nurse took over that evening, that individual gave Fletcher the increased morphine dose that Coyle had written. The overdose killed the patient.
“It involved serious moral failing in [Coyle] misusing her position of power and trust as a nurse to misappropriate narcotics for her own personal benefit,” CNO counsel Denise Cooney told the hearing.
Hospital called police after suspicious theft
Back in January 2015, La Verendrye Hospital called police to report theft along with a suspicious death, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Const. Petrina Taylor-Hertz told CBC in 2019.
That year, OPP’s lengthy investigation led to charges against Coyle if second-degree murder, criminal negligence causing death, theft, uttering forged documents and breach of trust.
In January 2024, Coyle was sentenced to two years in jail after her guilty plea for criminal negligence causing death.The Ontario Court of Justice in Kenora found she had altered Fletcher’s medication administration record, which led to the fatal overdose.
Coyle was also found liable in a civil suit. In 2024, she was ordered to pay Fletcher’s estate $130,00 in damages.
Drug theft driven by addiction, say court documents
Coyle admitted to stealing drugs while struggling with addiction, said the agreed statement of facts read during the criminal court proceedings in 2022.
“[Coyle] admitted that she did whatever she needed to do to get the morphine that she needed. She admitted to using a large amount of morphine while at work and that many times she would be as high as a kite while working,” said a Crown attorney, reading from the agreed statement of facts.
Canada’s parole board granted Coyle day parole, which allows her to live at her house with her partner and children, on Aug. 21, 2024.
Other than a relapse with alcohol while on bail in 2020, Coyle has maintained sobriety, said Justice Robin Lepere in an August 2025 family law-related Superior Court Case involving Coyle.
“She has abided by all conditions to date and expects to be off parole as of January 2026,” said Lepere in her reasons for judgment.
Apologizes for ‘shame’ actions brought to nursing
On Thursday, Coyle told the CNO panel she wanted to apologize to the college and her co-workers.
“I completely understand the mistrust that has happened and the shame that I’ve brought upon the community of nurses,” she said.
“I’ve gone through a lot of things in the last 10 years and spent time in prison for this action.”
Coyle voluntarily surrendered her certificate of registration in 2016 after being suspended. Her public record will now specify that she permanently resigned after findings of professional misconduct.
While the CNO also has the authority to revoke a nurse’s certificate of registration, the panel heard that voluntary permanent resignation is the ultimate strongest way to ensure someone will never practise in Ontario again. Those who have their licences revoked are able to reapply for membership, while those who agree to permanently resign cannot.