Nurse Arrested for Stealing Painkillers and Replacing IVs with Tap Water
In a shocking incident, a former nurse from an Oregon hospital has been accused of stealing powerful painkillers and replacing them with unsterilized tap water for patients. This alleged act led to approximately 40 patients battling severe infections, with 16 reportedly losing their lives. The nurse is now in custody with bail set at $4 million.
36-year-old Dani Marie Schofield, a former nurse, was arrested last week on 44 counts of second-degree assault!
Schofield is being held on a $4 million bail and denies the charges.
The shocking incident came to light after hospital officials noticed a significant increase in central line infections over the course of a year!
The hospital management recently reported their suspicions to the police, stating that an employee had stolen 'fentanyl,' a drug used in medical settings for severe pain relief, causing adverse effects for patients.
There is an ongoing lawsuit against Schofield and the hospital related to the incidents!
The lawsuit was filed by the heirs of Horace Wilson, who was treated at Asante Rogue Medical Center and later died. Wilson had been hospitalized after falling down stairs and underwent surgery for a spleen hemorrhage. However, doctors later detected an infection caused by Staphylococcus epidermidis, a type of bacteria resistant to treatment.
Schofield denies allegations of negligence and harm in the lawsuit!
Around 40 former patients or their representatives are considering whether to sue Schofield for the treatments she administered. Fifteen individuals are listed as victims in the indictment.
Schofield faces a minimum of 5 years and 10 months to a maximum of 10 years in prison for each charge.
This is surprising since prosecutors did not charge her with manslaughter. Proving in a criminal case that the deaths were a result of Schofield's actions is more challenging than in a civil lawsuit, as officials cannot definitively prove that the deaths were caused by infections linked to her actions. Therefore, she is not being charged with murder.
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