West Kelowna nurse snooped on medical records then sent harassing texts

A West Kelowna nurse who accessed confidential medical records and then sent harassing text messages has been suspended for 10 weeks.

According to a March 3 B.C. College of Nurses and Midwives decision, registered nurse Nancy Brocker accessed the medical records of an individual with whom she had no care relationship or work-related purpose and used the sensitive information to send the person harassing text messages.

The nursing regulator says the West Kelowna nurse breached the patient's privacy in January and February 2022.

READ MORE: B.C. nurse suspended for 'unwanted touching'

Brocker signed a consent agreement admitting to her conduct. She been suspended for 10 weeks and will have to undertake remedial education in ethics.

The nursing regulator says it is satisfied that the terms will protect the public.

The West Kelowna nurse is the second nurse this year who has been disciplined for snooping on medical records.

Last year, seven nurses were suspended across the province for looking at medical records when they weren't supposed to.

In August 2022, a Kelowna woman whose records were snooped on told iNFOnews.ca she was stonewalled by Interior Health and it failed in its duty of care.

READ MORE: 'Frustrating': Interior Health stonewalls victim after nurse snoops on her medical records

Last December, B.C.'s Information and privacy commissioner Michael McEvoy said medical records were 'disturbingly' vulnerable.

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