A woman who spent nearly two years working as a nurse despite not being qualified to do so has pleaded guilty to fraud.
Laura Erskine was arrested last year after a CTV News investigation revealed that she had been working as a nurse at Park Lane Terrace in Paris, despite never registered with the College of Nurses of Ontario.
That registration is considered a legal requirement for anyone wanting to work as a nurse anywhere in Ontario.
Appearing in Brantford court on Thursday, Erskine admitted to fraudulent behaviour.
Court heard that, in an attempt to convince the college and Park Lane management she was properly credentialed, Erskine first claimed that she was registered but wasn’t able to find the documents that would prove it.
When a registration letter was provided to investigators, it was found to have an invalid registration number and a file number belonging to a different nurse at Park Lane.
Court heard that Erskine had asked to see that nurse’s letter to give herself “a better idea” of what she was looking for, and to use her computer.
Erskine, who graduated from the nursing program at Conestoga College, worked at Park Lane Terrace for two years before being fired from that facility last November.
In addition to fraud, she was charged with one count of uttering a forged document.
That charge was not dealt with during Thursday’s court appearance.
Also not mentioned was why exactly Erskine never registered with the college. Approached by CTV News after the hearing, she and her lawyer both declined to answer questions.
Erskine will be sentenced Aug. 15.
With reporting by Abigail Bimman
