Nurse faces drug charge



A state registered nurse supplied Temazepam prescribed for another patient to an elderly woman in a nursing home.

Patricia Connolly, 56, of Back Westgate, Hornsea admitted to supplying Temazepam to 93-year-old Bertha Hutchinson during her employment as a nurse at Northfield Manor Nursing Home in Driffield.

The offence took place in January this year.

On Wednesday 4 September at Bridlington Magistrates’ Court it was heard Connolly is a state registered nurse, and has previously worked as a psychiatric nurse.

Prosecution solicitor David Ward said: “There was an elderly lady who was 93-years-old and she appears to have been prescribed some extra Temazepam which was actually for another patient. That idea was that this would help her to sleep as she was having problems sleeping, walking round at night.

“She was reported by a cleaner as being the only nurse that didn’t follow the normal procedure. Mrs Connolly would administer the drugs without anybody else present and would ask the cleaner who was also a qualified as an assistant to sign the paper work.

“Subsequently this was reported to the doctor and saying perhaps this wasn’t helping with her problem. The extra medication she was on was affecting her balance, so it may have been counter-productive.

“The defendant was interviewed and made full admissions. It is a willful administration of a prescribed drug.

“It seems quite a sad case.”

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Nurse faces drug charge

Shocking Video Captures Elder Abuse on Camera

The District Attorney’s office is looking into whether it will file criminal charges against two local nurses hired to care for a 98-year-old woman in a shocking case of apparent abuse.

According to the complaint filed with the Board of Registered Nursing, their on-the-job conduct was “vile, disrespectful and abusive” and much of it was captured on tape.

Warning: Some of the images featured in the video are graphic.
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Shocking Video Captures Alleged Elder Abuse on Camera

Head Nurse to Stand Trial in Connection With Woman’s Death at Cameron Park Care Facility

The former head nurse at a Placerville nursing home will stand trial for felony elder abuse in connection with the 2008 death of a 77-year-old Cameron Park woman, an El Dorado County judge ruled Tuesday.

More than 4 1/2 years after the death of Johnnie Esco, Judge Daniel B. Proud found there was sufficient evidence to move forward in the criminal case again Donna Darlene Palmer, 58, a registered nurse.

Palmer, who was then director of nursing at the El Dorado Care Center, was one of two nurses at the facility charged criminally by the California attorney general. The second nurse, 39-year-old Rebecca Smith, negotiated a deal earlier this month with the state.

Smith, a licensed vocational nurse, agreed to plead no contest to felony elder abuse in exchange for a possible suspended jail term and her willingness to help prosecutors in their pursuit of Palmer.

The attorney general contends that both nurses failed to perform their duties or to adequately supervise staff in caring for Esco, who died a painful and unnecessary death – despite a devoted family that surrounded her daily, according to testimony and state documents.

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Head Nurse to Stand Trial in Connection with Woman’s Death at Cameron Park Care Facility

NH Nurse Accused of Bilking North Hampton Couple

An in-home caregiver/nurse will be in court for a probable cause hearing on charges that she allegedly bilked an elderly North Hampton couple out of nearly $2,000.

Valerie Trunfio, 36, of Hampton is facing one count of forgery and one count of receiving stolen property as part of an investigation by the Hampton and North Hampton police departments.

Her probable cause hearing at the 10th Circuit Court in Seabrook is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 5.

If she decides to waive the hearing, the case will be transferred to Rockingham Superior Court for review by a grand jury for possible indictment.

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Nurse Accused of Bilking North Hampton Couple