Elder Law

Nursing Home Employee Steals Drugs from Patient

By Levin & Perconti

The Northwest Herald is reporting that a former nursing assistant has been jailed after they were poking holes in an Alzheimer?s patient?s medication patch. The nursing assistant than licked the painkiller off his finger at the Illinois nursing home The 25 year-old nursing assistant was charged with the crime of aggravated battery to an elderly person. This nursing home abuse occurred at the Fair Oaks Health Care Center in Crystal Lake, Illinois.

The defendant had worked at the Fair Oaks Health Care Center was fired after his arrest. Other nursing home staff members had noticed that the 92-year-old victim?s patch had some discoloration. After this observation, the staff set up video surveillance in the woman?s room. The family was notified of the incident.

The Crystal Lake Police Chief noted that it was quite desperate that the nursing assistant needed to drain Fentanyl from an elderly woman?s patch. The defendant alleged would roll the woman on her side, poke holes in her mediation patch using a safety pin. He would then remove the Fentanly, squeezing the patch four or five times to obtain the narcotic. To work as a nursing assistant in an Illinois nursing home, you must have your criminal record checked. This is an important step to hiring nursing home employees, because it helps diminish nursing home abuse. This history must have no administrative finding of elder abuse, neglect or misappropriated property in Illinois. A certified nursing assistant may not begin working until they meet all training requirements. To learn more about this nursing home negligence, please click the link.

Full post as published by Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Blog on May 20, 2010 (boomark / email).