Submit a Complaint

The College of Registered Nurses of Alberta (CRNA) manages complaints about its registrants. Often the quickest way to resolve an issue is to discuss the concern directly with the registrant, their supervisor, other health-care providers or the patient relations department at the facility.

If you are unsure or want guidance regarding submission of a complaint, please call us at 1.800.252.9392.

What We Can Investigate

The CRNA can only pursue complaints that fall within our jurisdiction, in accordance with the Health Professions Act (HPA). 

Under the HPA, we can investigate serious allegations where patient safety is at risk, including but not limited to:

• Inappropriate interventions and/or medication errors.
• Poor clinical judgment or practise, including inadequate assessments.
• Practising beyond the registrant’s level of competency: particularly with respect to restricted activities.
• Unethical behaviour, including the abandonment of responsibilities.
• Breach of trust and/or the confidentiality of patient records.
• Fraud, theft or misrepresentation.
• Physical, verbal or sexual abuse.

What We Cannot Investigate

We cannot investigate anything beyond our legislated mandate under the HPA. We are unable to:

• Make changes to your health records or care plan.
• Award financial damages or compensation.
• Investigate complaints about health-care system issues such as long wait times for care or challenges finding a provider.Investigate complaints about health-care providers we do not regulate such as health care aides, licensed practical nurses, registered psychiatric nurses and physicians.
• Investigate complaints about insurance claims or medical fees.

To Submit a Virtual Care Complaint

If you are making a complaint about virtual care services based on care you received in Alberta, please use one of the options below. If you have a complaint regarding virtual care services received in another province, please contact the appropriate regulator in that province.

Complaints Against Other Health Professionals

The CRNA manages complaints about its registrants — registered nurses and nurse practitioners. To determine if an individual is registered with and regulated by the CRNA, you can verify their status online at any time through the Verify a Nurse tool.

If you have a complaint about:

• a licensed practical nurse (LPN) or health care aide (HCA), contact the College of LPNs and HCAs of Alberta (CLHA) at www.CLHA.com. 
• a registered psychiatric nurse (RPN), contact the College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of Alberta (CRPNA) at www.CRPNA.ab.ca.
• a physician, contact the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta at www.CPSA.ca.
• or other health-care professional, contact the college that regulates that profession.
• a facility, contact that facility’s administration office.

If you want to report patient abuse involving any health-care provider, contact Protection for Persons in Care. If the abuse complaint is about a registrant, you may also submit it to the CRNA.

Information provided on this page is provided to outline the complaints process and is not intended to replace legal advice.

For a complaint to be considered complete, the following information is required:

• The complainant’s first name, last name, and contact information.
• The complainant's signature. 
  • Complaints cannot be submitted anonymously. 
• The first and last name of the registrant in question.
  • If a complainant believes multiple registrants were involved in the circumstances leading to the complaint, a separate form specific to that individual and their actions must be completed and signed for each registrant. 
• Details about what happened, including the date, time and location.