Which scenario would lead to appointing an investigator?

• A. The concern is not appropriate for ADR
• B. The nurse and college have already reached a resolution
• C. The matter is unrelated to nursing practice
• D. The complaint is anonymous and cannot be traced

Answer: (A)

When a concern isn’t suitable for ADR, a regulator will appoint an investigator to conduct formal fact-finding. ADR aims to resolve disputes through negotiation, mediation, or arbitration without formal findings. If the issue requires gathering evidence, interviewing witnesses, reviewing records, and making a formal determination, an investigator is needed to build a clear, objective picture of what happened and support any subsequent disciplinary or regulatory decisions.

If the nurse and the college have already reached a resolution, there’s nothing left to investigate. If the matter is unrelated to nursing practice, the regulator would typically dismiss or redirect it rather than pursue an investigation. If the complaint is anonymous and cannot be traced, obtaining reliable information becomes difficult, so it wouldn’t automatically trigger ADR or an investigator in the same way a traceable, actionable concern would.