'Fraudulent nurse' treated patients at B.C. Women's Hospital, police say

Brigitte Cleroux, 49, is seen in an image provided by the Ottawa Police Service. She is accused of impersonating a nurse in multiple Canadian cities.

Vancouver -

Criminal charges have been laid against a 49-year-old woman who allegedly posed as a nurse while working at a Vancouver hospital – something she's accused of doing elsewhere in Canada as well.

The woman allegedly used a real nurse's name while "providing medical care to patients" at B.C. Women's Hospital, according to the Vancouver Police Department.

She worked at the hospital for an entire year – from June 2020 to June 2021 – and it remains unclear how many patients' care may have been impacted.

"We don't yet know how many people in Vancouver may have received treatment from the fraudulent nurse, but we're working with the Provincial Health Services Authority to identify patients who may have had contact with her," Const. Tania Visintin said in a news release.

Visintin said local detectives worked with the Ottawa Police Service, which conducted a parallel investigation into the same suspect that resulted in charges back in September.

Brigitte Cleroux is charged with fraud over $5,000 and personation with intent in British Columbia, where she remains in custody pending her next court appearance.

In Ontario, she faces additional charges of criminal negligence causing bodily harm, assault with a weapon, uttering a forged documents and other counts.

The Ottawa Police Service said the accused, who is from Gatineau, Que., was working at an Ottawa medical and dental clinic. Police did not name the facility where she was working.