New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs is urging the family of a man who died in a Fredericton emergency room to reconsider naming individual nurses in their lawsuit.
Susan Mesheau of Fredericton, executor of the estate of her brother Darrell Mesheau, filed suit against Horizon Health Network and two nurses who were on duty at the time of his death.
Darrell Mesheau, 78, sat in the emergency room waiting room at Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital for about seven hours before he was found unconscious at around 4:30 a.m. on July 12, 2022.
The statement names Danielle Othen, a registered nurse who triaged Mesheau, and April Knowles, a registered nurse who was responsible for monitoring patients.
In a statement on Saturday, Higgs urged the family to rethink the strategy.
“The death of Darrell Mesheau was a tragedy,” Higgs said. “The loss of a loved one is always difficult, and even years later, I want to express my deepest condolences to Mr. Mesheau’s family.”
“There was an investigation into Mr. Mesheau’s death that made it clear that important changes needed to be made… The investigation found no cases of negligence on the part of these nurses. To suggest otherwise by naming them in the lawsuit is unacceptable.”
When we reached Susan Mesheau on Saturday, she said the family would not be making any further comment at this time.
Higgs noted that the province covers 100 percent of the legal fees of nurses employed by regional health authorities, as well as any judgments imposed against them.
“I believe that healthcare providers who care for patients in good faith and to the best of their ability should not be placed under additional pressure by being named in lawsuits,” the statement said.
“Even if the costs are covered, it is an attack on the caregiver’s reputation and a personal burden.”
He also promised that if re-elected, he would pass a law that would “better protect health care workers from being named in legal proceedings.” He referred to an instruction to the health minister to begin consultations with union leadership.
Horizon CEO Margaret Melanson provided comment in an emailed statement Saturday but did not address the lawsuit. She said Horizon is focused on the needs of its patients and highly values its health care workers.
“Horizon is committed to continually improving the quality, safe care and services provided to all patients,” Melanson wrote.
The New Brunswick Nurses Union declined to comment on the matter on Friday.
