Opioid Crisis Touches Nursing Homes

 Posted on March 05, 2018 in Nursing Home Abuse

Many nursing home residents are prescribed opioid medication to manage severe pain. These opioid drugs have been controversial recently because of their extreme addictive properties. They are also dangerous in that an overdose of an opioid medication such as OxyContin, morphine, codeine, Fentanyl, or hydrocodone is often fatal. While these drugs offer relief for patients in severe pain, the presence of opioids in a nursing home often leads to trouble.

Illinois Nurse Caught Stealing Fentanyl Patches

A nurse from Bloomington has been accused of removing pain-relieving opioid patches from the bodies of nursing home residents. The man allegedly visited both the nursing home he worked at as well as a second nursing home in order to steal the patches off of terminally ill patients. He was recently charged with burglary and theft after co-workers noticed that he had come into work on his day off. He was found to also have stolen fentanyl patches from a resident with dementia. Assistant State’s Attorney Jeff Horve requested a $50,000 bond because of what he called “the egregious nature of the offenses.”

Overdose of Oxycodone Kills Minnesota Resident

Another dangerous element to opioids being prescribed in nursing homes is the risk of overdose. When medical staff are not properly trained or the nursing home facility is understaffed, deadly mistakes can be made with regard to opioid medication. For example, in January, a resident recovering from cancer was given over 20 times the prescribed dose of oxycodone. The resident was later found unresponsive on the floor of their room and eventually passed away. When asked about her gross mistake, the nurse who administered the deadly drug claimed she was "busy with multiple patients."

Comprehensive Representation of Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Victims

There are more and more stories like these happening every day. Nursing home abuse and neglect is becoming a serious issue as many nursing home facilities are understaffed when compared to the amount of residents they must care for. Untrained, lazy, incompetent, or uncaring nursing home staff can be a deadly risk for nursing home residents.

If you or someone you love has been mistreated while staying in a nursing home, you need a dedicated Chicago nursing home injury lawyer who will fight for you. At Schwartz Injury Law we believe that the elderly and ill among us deserve protection from abuse and neglect and that those who cause others suffering need to be held responsible. To speak with a member of our team or to set up a free confidential consultation, call 312-535-4625 today.

Sources:

http://www.pjstar.com/news/20180302/nurse-accused-of-taking-opioid-patches-from-residents

https://www.mcknights.com/news/oxycodone-dose-20-times-too-strong-kills-nursing-home-resident/article/740917/