Brandon Chesney, 24, posed as a nurse, treated RAH patient, now studying psychology

A man with “narcissistic tendencies” who posed as a nurse at Adelaide’s biggest hospital has a need for adoration and values status – but wants to pursue a career in the psychology field, a court has heard.

A young man with “narcissistic tendencies” who posed as a nurse and administered tests to a patient at the Royal Adelaide Hospital has a need for adoration and values status – but wants to pursue a career in the psychology field, a court has heard.

Despite writing letters of apology to his victim, the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Friday morning heard Brandon Chesney, 24, has limited insight into his offending and is yet to understand what prompted him to illegally pose as a medical professional.

Chesney, of Newton, pleaded guilty to serious criminal trespass, dishonestly taking property, possessing prohibited material (identity theft), possessing an unregistered firearm, and being unlawfully on premises after he was busted fraudulently posing as a nurse at the RAH in 2023.

Documents previously released by the court reveal Chesney had been onsite at the RAH “without lawful excuse” 13 times between April 12 and June 12 in 2023.

Chesney’s young victim, Erin, 23, outside court said she was notified about 30 minutes after she had been treated by him that he wasn’t a real practitioner.

“He reconnected me to an ECG machine, so I was exposed for a while when he did that. He took my blood sugars and removed a cannula from my arm and added tape, which caused an allergic reaction,” she said.

“I was in a very vulnerable situation. I wasn’t aware of what was happening at the time.

Brandon Chesney leaving Adelaide Magistrates Court. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Morgan Sette

Chesney's victim Erin said she was exposed at the time. Picture: Isabel McMillan

Brandon Chesney, the fake RAH nurse leaves court flanked by supporters.

“The senior RN gave me a call and said they actually didn’t know who he was. She got on quite quickly. A week or two later the police came and started the investigation.”

Magistrate Ben Sale on Friday told the court Chesney’s two “apology” letters had, instead of recounting his remorse, given insight into how the fallout of his offending had impacted himself.

“He can’t resist the opportunity to tell the victim ‘woe is me’,” Mr Sale said.

Rachel Lane, for Chesney, said he was remorseful, but was struggling to come to terms with what had prompted him to offend in the first place.

Brandon Chesney, the fake RAH nurse leaves court flanked by supporters who asked for “air time”.

He will return to court next week.

“He said ‘the hardest part of all of this is trying to understand why I did what I did’, but Mr Chesney is making efforts, he’s engaging in psychological therapies,” she said.

“This is not a person who has reached the full understanding of why he did what he did, but the most important thing is that he recognises that.”

Mr Sale, however, said that issues in Chesney's childhood had “hard wired” into him “issues with a need for admiration, adoration, social acceptance and the appearance of status”.

The court also heard Chesney had begun studying psychology at university.

“In terms of his future plans, he would like to do some kind of community work,” Ms Lane said.

“In a sense, he says, the study has helped him understand himself better and if he were to seek employment in any medical field there’s obviously going to be great barriers going forward but he understands that anything he does employment related in the future has got to be through the proper chains.”

Chesney will be sentenced next week.

Outside court, his supporters made light at the situation, asking media “for some air time”.

“What about us? We want air time too. We’re the star of the show,” they said.