A consent agreement released by the British Columbia College of Nursing Professionals (BCCNP)—the provincial regulator for nurses—on Wednesday, June 19 has given more details on student complaints arising from a five-week Camosun College field study trip to the Philippines in 2016.
The report says that former Camosun Nursing instructor and chair Stephen Bishop “took several hundred photographs of his students in their bathing suits while they were swimming or sunbathing, and/or when they may have been unaware that they were being photographed.” The report also says that Bishop made comments to students that were “inappropriately personal in nature.”
Bishop was suspended from Camosun following student complaints after the field study; he later resigned, and an independent third party was called in to investigate the situation.
Bishop did not renew his nursing registration on March 1, 2018. According to the BCCNP report, he is “no longer legally permitted to practise nursing in British Columbia.” The report says that Bishop has agreed to not reapply for reinstatement of registration for at least four years. If he does choose to reapply, the report says, “the [BCCNP] will determine if he meets registration requirements for character, competence and fitness to practice.”
Bishop would also have to complete “specified coursework” as part of becoming reinstated to practice nursing in BC.
BCCNP registrar and CEO Cynthia Johansen says that Bishop left the BCCNP voluntarily.
“I think, if he had not made that voluntary choice, [the BCCNP] could have taken a different line of action… He chose to voluntarily not renew [his BCCNP registration],” says Johansen.
Johansen says that for the BCCNP to take certain actions, like revoking someone’s registration or suspending somebody immediately, they need to have a lot of evidence. (The BCCNP is able to take these actions through sections in The BC Health Professions Act.)
“We have to have a ton of evidence and an incredible amount of confidence that what we have in our hands is adequate to prove in a court of law that this individual has to immediately be removed from practice,” she says.
When the BCCNP is investigating a case and is not able to collect data that supports “a particular concern” in a well-rounded way, it can work with the nurse involved to get them to voluntarily remove themselves from the situation.
“That is a quicker and more effective way to get them to remove themselves from practice,” says Johansen. “Going to court to suspend them when we don’t have yet a well-rounded investigation file, that can actually work against us. It’s like police investigating somebody and we only have just a little bit of information.”
Johansen says that Bishop would have to go through a rigorous review process if he chooses to reapply after four years, and that he would have a “very high bar to pass” in order to be considered for registration again.
“One of the outcomes of that process may very well be that he is not accepted for registration again,” she says.
Camosun won’t release details of the investigation into what happened in the Philippines.
“The investigation was completed, but, as it’s a personnel matter, we’re not disclosing any details,” says Camosun spokesperson Rodney Porter, who confirms that Bishop hasn’t worked at the college since when he resigned in December 2016.
(Nexus filed a Freedom of Information request in early July for details of the investigation.)
First-year Interprofessional Mental Health and Addictions student Amber Streukens says that students were brave to come forward to Camosun.
“That’s a very hard thing, to stand up against your institution and the people who hold power over your degree,” says Streukens. “It’s a positive thing that Camosun is a safe enough space for students to bring forth concerns.”
Students have a right to transparency around the handling of sensitive complaints, says Streukens.
“That’s important for students to know that their concerns will be taken seriously,” says Streukens, “and that they’re safe in their learning environment.”
Streukens says that this is a “super problematic” objectification of students.
“It sounds like an abuse of power,” says Streukens. “That’s a very unprofessional way of conducting yourself. It looks poorly on the school.”
A Camosun student who spoke to Nexus on condition of anonymity says that if something like this happened to him he would “probably call the police.”
“It’s a security thing,” he says. “A professor’s supposed to just be a teacher; nothing else.”
First year General Science student Simran Kaur calls this “a matter of great concern,” but adds that Bishop deserves another chance, even though it is a matter of student safety.
“As a human being, I’m saying that he would also feel guilty,” she says. “He spent a lot of time studying… to teach the students. So I think he deserves a chance.”
Camosun College Student Society (CCSS) wellness and access director Eleanor Vannan says that making blanket statements is not the answer because she was not part of the investigation.
“From all accounts, he was a beloved instructor before this incident happened,” says Vannan. “There once was a place at Camosun for him.”
Vannan says that most instructors recognize boundaries between them and students.
“Frankly,” she says, “the vast majority of instructors do understand that line between professional boundaries and recognize the power imbalance.”
Another student who spoke under condition of anonymity says that she now “wouldn’t choose to go on a trip” with a Camosun class, and if she did have to go, she would want background checks to be conducted on the teachers.
“I don’t think he should be in a position of teaching or working with students. I always believe, to a certain degree, people can be reintegrated and correct their behaviour,” says the student. “I’m not saying he should be banned for life. But I think there are some steps he should follow to show that he’s trying to change that behaviour. Maybe there’s some psychological trauma involved. You never know.”
The student says that some kind of counselling or therapy might be helpful to “eradicate that desire to see students in that way.” Certain elements of privacy should be respected, the student says, especially if the person in question is trying to change their behaviour, but student safety is still important.
“That can be really difficult if that’s following you,” the student says. “But I would say student safety and security probably comes first; they’re paying to come here and study and learn.”
First-year University Transfer student Sam Rozon says that if it were her she would feel very violated.
“He should probably have his teaching licence revoked,” says Rozon. “It’s obviously very inappropriate.”
Vannan says that the college taking the student complaints as seriously as it did is not something that always happens at post-secondary institutions.
“Complaints like this aren’t always dealt with as thoroughly and as quickly,” says Vannan. “It’s good that it was taken seriously.”
Vannan says that the long-term mental-health impacts on students must be considered.
“There is always a power disparity between students and their professors,” says Vannan. “We do form really tight bonds and we get to know our teachers really well.”
Vannan says that that close bond is a benefit to students, but that it can also “blur the lines of that professionalism.”
“From a mental-health perspective, that violation of trust can have a huge impact on a student,” she says, “and we do see that for certain things like PTSD—when an issue is dealt with quickly and thoroughly, there’s a reduction of that, which is why I am so happy that the college took it seriously.”
Vannan says we need to be working toward a consent-based culture.
“And taking photos of anyone without their knowledge is not moving towards that,” says Vannan.
Bishop did not respond to requests for an interview for this story.
Vannan says that impacted students are welcome to email her for support, whether that is in the form of having someone to vent to or going for a coffee. (CCSS board members’ emails can be found at camosunstudent.org.)