N.S. woman ordered to pay $60K to former nurse for online defamation
The mother of a severely disabled man in Nova Scotia has been ordered to pay a former nurse $60,000 in damages for defamatory online posts that targeted the nurse’s reputation. The Nova Scotia Supreme Court Justice Denise Boudreau criticized the government investigation that led to the Facebook posts, calling it “entirely inconclusive” and lacking in methodology or procedural fairness.
The incident in question took place at Emerald Hall at the Nova Scotia Hospital in Dartmouth in September 2016. Matthew Meisner, a patient at the facility who is autistic and has a mood disorder, became disruptive and threw feces at the nurse on duty. The nurse, along with another employee and security guards, had to restrain Meisner in a chair until the morning shift arrived. However, a manager mistakenly provided incorrect information to Meisner’s mother about the incident, which led to defamatory social media posts.
The nurse, Tracey Meisner, was accused of mistreating the patient and was labeled an “abuser” in the online posts. Despite knowing the allegations were untrue, she was unable to publicly defend herself due to confidentiality rules. The posts caused Meisner immense distress, leading her to take a stress-related leave from work and suffer from PTSD.
The court ruling highlighted the flawed investigation conducted by the Department of Health and Wellness, which was criticized for its lack of fact-checking and methodology. The investigator’s report was deemed inconclusive and lacking in credibility. Meisner based her attacks on the nurse on this report, further damaging the nurse’s reputation.
The Nova Scotia College of Nursing conducted its own investigation and exonerated the nurse, but the damage had already been done. The incident prompted Nova Scotia Health to review practices at Emerald Hall and implement changes, including reducing the number of beds and increasing staffing levels.
The case was described as “truly unfortunate” by Justice Boudreau, who emphasized the harm caused to the nurse by the defamatory posts. The nurse’s reputation was tarnished unjustly, and she continues to suffer the consequences of the incident. The ruling serves as a reminder of the importance of conducting thorough investigations and ensuring fair treatment for all parties involved.
