My Story

My name is Melissa Dore, and I am a former Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner.  My license to practice nursing was revoked on Monday March 24, 2025, as the College of Nurses of Ontario Discipline Committee Panel responsible for deciding my professional fate thought it was the appropriate penalty after determining I committed the act of professional misconduct.

My nursing career began in 1999 when I graduated from the University of Windsor with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing.  From 1999 until 2009, I enjoyed a rewarding practice as a Labour and Delivery nurse.  In 2009, I graduated from York University with a Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner Certificate.  From 2009 until 2021, I was fortunate to practice as Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner with a family health team responsible for caring for over 10,000 patients.  In 2019, I began my journey as the Medical Director of a men's sexual health practice, and graduated from York University with a Master of Science in Nursing degree.

In September of 2021, I was approached by a former primary care patient requesting help to obtain an exemption from taking the COVID-19 vaccine being mandated by his employer as a condition to maintain employment.  The patient has several anaphylactic allergies and other health concerns which made him reluctant to take this new pharmaceutical product.  He approached his family doctor who was aware of his medical history to seek an exemption from COVID-19 vaccination.  His doctor told him "he was part of the problem" implying his reluctance to take the COVID-19 vaccine was prolonging the pandemic.  

After hearing his doctor's total disregard for his legitimate concerns, I did an online search to see if I could help this patient, as Nurse Practitioners were authorized to issue exemptions to COVID-19 vaccinations.  My online search yielded a document called Directive 6 Resource Guide, a publication published by Dr. Kieran Moore, Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health.  This document acted as a guideline for employers of health care professionals on how to implement COVID-19 vaccine mandates within the workplace.  The Directive 6 Resource Guide suggested employers offer employees 3 options to be compliant with COVID-19 vaccine mandates.  Those options included:

1) Show proof of full vaccination to COVID-19

2) Show proof of a medical exemption to COVID-19 vaccination

3) Show proof of attending an education session before declining COVID-19 vaccination that outlined:

(a) How COVID-19 vaccines work

(b) Safety surrounding the development of COVID-19 vaccines

(c) Benefits of COVID-19 vaccination

(d) Risks of COVID-19 vaccination

(e) Side effects of COVID-19 vaccination

After reviewing the Directive 6 Resource Guide I decided to create an online COVID-19 vaccination education session covering the information required to learn about these vaccines prior to declining.  I offered the presentation via Zoom, and once the participant learned the information and chose to decline COVID-19 vaccination, I provided them with proof of attending the education session in the form of a letter communicating that I had taught the information, and the patient's choice to decline the COVID-19 vaccine.

These nursing actions resulted in an investigation into my nursing practice, a hearing where I was found to have committed the act of professional misconduct, and the revocation of my registration certificate to practice nursing

I am fighting back!!!! As a self-represented litigant, I am taking carriage of my Divisional Court appeal in matter Dore v CNO, court file # DC-24-00000095-0000, to be heard before three Justices at the Brampton Superior Court of Justice.

Please find several features and podcasts outlining my story below.