A class action lawsuit has been filed against a woman accused of pretending to be a nurse at BC Women’s Hospital for a year, new details reveal that she also worked at a private clinic in Victoria.
Brigitte Cleroux is believed to have used the name of a real nurse when she “cared for patients” at BC Women’s Hospital, according to the Vancouver Police Department.
The 49-year-old worked in the hospital for a full year – from June 2020 to June 2021. Patients are informed in letters about Cleroux’s commitment to their care.
It has now been announced that she also worked for three weeks at the View Royal Surgical Center in Victoria in November 2020.
“We are working with the authorities to look into the matter and ensure that patients who may have had contact with Ms. Cleroux receive the information and support they need,” said Fatima Fazal, chief operating officer of Surgical Centers Inc.
It is not clear how many patients in the clinic had interactions with Cleroux during this time.
A class action lawsuit has also been filed in the BC Supreme Court against the provincial health department (the agency responsible for recruiting Cleroux) alleging that PHSA is liable for Cleroux’s actions.
The lawsuit, filed by the law firm Murphy Battista LLP, alleges that members of the class action “received a battery” after being treated by Cleroux. The lawsuit also states: “As a result of the finding that Cleroux was not a registered nurse, many class members suffered mental disorders and nervous shock, all of which were predictable by the PHSA.”
Litigation attorney Scott Stanley said patients consented to Cleroux’s treatment under the impression she was a licensed professional, adding that the consent was “now invalid”.
“A battery is unlawful, non-consensual contact with another person, and a medical procedure is a battery if not properly consented to,” said Stanley.
A number of women joined the class action lawsuit, but Stanley said his law firm heard from “more and more people” when patients heard about the story.
“To learn that you have been administered or cared for by someone who is not a licensed professional is incredibly worrying for everyone,” he said. “There are safeguards in place to ensure that people are not placed in such important positions. As we can see, this just wasn’t done here. “
The class action has not yet been admitted and the allegations have not been considered in court.
The PHSA declined to comment on the lawsuit, but a statement posted on the BC Women’s Hospital website said the case was an “unfortunate reminder that there are people in our world with criminal intent”.
The statement went on to say that the health department conducted a review to “reconfirm that all PHSA licensed health professions are validly registered with their respective colleges and associations.”
Cleroux is also facing charges in Ontario on charges of assault with a gun and criminal negligence, among other charges.
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