A nurse in British Columbia was suspended for six months for creating fake vaccine cards last year.
The province requires proof of vaccination to access many non-essential services between September 13, 2021 and April 8, 2022.
Sarah Jones of Castlegar used “her position, experience, trust in public health and her knowledge of the vaccination system to carry out the fraudulent creation of four vaccine cards,” according to a notice issued by the British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives in Friday.
The six-month suspension was one of the terms of a plea agreement Jones entered into in connection with the misconduct in 2021. A plea agreement, which is approved by a commission, means the two sides have agreed to both the description of the complaint and the disciplinary action.
The college also said Jones “presented a varied version of events” to multiple parties during the investigation.
“Her behavior is considered a marked ethical departure from the behavior expected of a nurse,” the notice said.
Medical ethics training is the second condition of the agreement.
In December 2021, the province issued a statement saying it was taking steps to make sure records proving immunizations are reviewed to prevent fraud.
“Entries that are submitted and suspected to be fraudulent are reported to law enforcement,” it said.
Other incidents of suspected vaccine card fraud include a pharmacy in the Lower Mainland that reportedly helped unvaccinated people download electronic proof of immunization and vulnerable people in Vancouver’s downtown Eastside being offered money of people who have tried to get a card without taking the shot themselves.
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