Two Essex county, NY nurses have been arrested for causing severe trauma to a quadriplegic patient during a catheter change and failing to perform or seek medical treatment for hours. Anne Marcotte, a 49 year-old Licensed Practical Nurse, and Billi Jo O’Donnell, a 38 year-old Registered Nurse, are charged with reckless endangerment in the second degree, endangering the welfare of an incompetent or physically disabled person, and willful violation of health laws, all misdemeanors.
The alleged incident occurred at Horace Nye Nursing Home in Elizabethtown in November of 2008 when Marcotte negligently performed a catheter change. Although the change caused the resident to bleed profusely, Marcotte did not seek medical attention for the resident for over 6 hours. In addition, O’Donnell failed to assist despite being aware of the injury. The bleeding continued for two weeks and the resident had to hospitalized twice over a two week period. While hospitalized, the resident expelled numerous blood clots and lost a substantial amount of blood causing physicians to order two blood transfusions and antibiotics.
Attorney General Cuomo stated, “A care-dependent quadriplegic patient suffered immensely because the nursing staff allegedly botched a routine procedure and then failed to provide or seek adequate medical care for hours. Protecting vulnerable New Yorkers and combating patient abuse will continue to be a major priority for this office.”
Website Resource:
ATTORNEY GENERAL CUOMO ANNOUNCES ARREST OF TWO ESSEX COUNTY NURSES FOR PATIENT ABUSE, Office of the New York State Attorney General – Media Center, January 15, 2010.
