Brandon Chesney sentenced after posing as RAH nurse, assaulting young female patient
He stole scrubs to pose as a nurse – now this “narcissist” with no training who even treated a young woman is sentenced after infiltrating SA’s biggest hospital.
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A “narcissist” in scrubs who masqueraded as a nurse to administer tests has been sentenced after infiltrating Adelaide’s largest hospital.
Brandon Chesney, 24, was driven by a “need for validation” when he posed as a member of staff for the Royal Adelaide Hospital, a court has heard, leaving a “vulnerable” female patient suffering an allergic reaction as a result of his misconduct.
In the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Friday, Magistrate Benjamin Sale said Chesney, of Newton, had “no training to perform these actions”.
“Over a two-month period you, on 13 occasions, trespassed in the staff-only area of the RAH,” Mr Sale said.
“Over time, you became familiar with the hospital’s layout, staff and began wearing scrubs, and you accept you would have given the impression that you were a member of staff.
“Your offending is serious – the bulk of which constitutes a worrying pattern of behaviour where you have invaded your way into areas of the hospital that you have no business being in. You were masquerading as a member of the hospital staff and your conduct escalated to the point where you stole medical supplies, possessed a false staff identification and treated a vulnerable patient of the hospital.”
Chesney pleaded guilty to assault, 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.
His young victim, Erin Craig, 23, suffered an allergic reaction when he failed to correctly remove an IV cannula from her – and then administered the wrong tape.
On Thursday, Mr Sale sentenced Chesney to eight months and nine days imprisonment – suspended upon entering into a two-year good behaviour bond.
“It is understandable that your offending would cause concern among the public who might never imagine that they could attend a hospital and be treated by an unqualified person pretending to be a nurse or doctor,” he said.
“What is also troubling is that you have struggled to accept the wrongfulness of your offending – particularly that which relates to directly to Ms Craig. You knew she might reasonably object to you performing actions which should have been performed by a trained and qualified healthcare professional, but you performed those tasks anyway.
“You were likely motivated by a desire for admiration and approval to ameliorate your underlying feeling of inadequacy.”
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Originally published as Brandon Chesney sentenced after posing as RAH nurse, assaulting young female patient
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