Nurses Caught Administering Insulin To Non-Diabetic Nursing Home Residents

New York Nursing Home inspectors were recently called to investigate Hilltop Nursing Home, following two incidents where nurses at the facility gave insulin to non-diabetic residents.  The residents went into shock and were hospitalized.  According to a report from the  New York Department of Public Health, the two incidents were investigated following tips made on the telephone hot line.  One of the insulin errors involved an LPN who admitted to being under the influence of narcotic medications not prescribed to her.

During the recent health department investigations, investigators also determined that nurses at the facility signed out narcotic medications for resident use, but there was no documentation that the medications were actually administered.  Upon discovering this situation, the findings were turned over to the Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement.

Hilltop Nursing Home is a short-term sub-acute facility certified for 110 residents and has a staff of 200.  It specializes in treatment of traumatic brain injury and pediatric care. Hilltop Nursing Home has been part of the government’s nursing home watch list or “Special Focus Facility” since 2006 when an 11-month-old boy stopped breathing for 20 minutes following the displacement of his breathing tube.  The boy suffered brain damage from the incident.  An inspection of the incident confirmed the boy received improper medical care and the staff failed to timely respond to alarms signaling a problem.

The ‘special focus facility’ designation cases nursing home inspectors to visit the facility more frequently.  Nursing homes remain part of the ‘special focus facility’ watch list until they pass two consecutive surveys without major violations.  Well, after these incidents involving medication errors, Hilltop will remain on nursing home inspectors short list.

Read more about this medication error at a New York Nursing Home here.

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