• 13
  • August
    2010

A Chapel Hill nursing home is facing the possibility of $20,000 in penalties after state regulators found evidence of nursing home abuse. The fine has been proposed by the Department of Health and Human Services to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services and is the maximum amount allowed by federal law.

The nursing home, Britthaven of Chapel Hill, was investigated over the last several months on 25 complaints of abuse. According to the state, evidence has been found to support eight of those complaints.

The allegations of abuse include the failure of Britthaven to ensure that its Alzheimer's patients were free from abuse; the failure to ensure that patients were given only prescribed medications; the failure to make sure patients were free from medical errors; and the failure to make sure residents were not given narcotics unless specifically authorized by a doctor.

Each of the violations was related to actions taken last February by a registered nurse, Angela Almore, who formerly worked at Britthaven. Almore has since been charged with second-degree murder and abuse in relation to the death of an 84-year-old woman and injuries to six other patients whom she gave injections of morphine without a doctor's permission. According to a medical examiner, the 84-year-old patient died of pneumonia from asphyxiation and it was likely that the unprescribed morphine contributed to her death.

Officials from Britthaven have expressed disappointment that the actions of one individual acting outside of her authority has led to this situation. The nursing home is also facing civil actions in relation to serious injuries suffered by two other patients.

Related Resources:

Nursing home may be fined (News & Observer)