Drug-addicted Nurse May Have Caused The Death Of Two Patients And Staff Did Nothing, Whistleblowers Claim

A brace of nurses astatine a Pennsylvania infirmary are blowing nan whistle connected nan facility, claiming it ignored constituent maltreatment problems successful 1 of its different nurses and that his negligence whitethorn person contributed to 2 patients' deaths.

Jennifer Duckett and Samantha Gallo — nan erstwhile nurses — sued Heritage Valley Sewickley Hospital successful Sewickley, Pennsylvania, successful April 2025, but nan filing was sealed until earlier this month, according to PennLive. The suit names Heritage Valley Health System, its executives, doctors and nurse managers arsenic defendants.

In nan filing, Duckett and Gallo impeach a caregiver of stealing “controlled substances from Heritage Valley to satiate his known supplier addiction” for nan past 8 years. It further claims that reports made astir Chismire's alleged behaviour were ignored.

The women see galore alleged examples of nan caregiver stealing drugs, hiding distant during his displacement and getting precocious successful nan hospital. In 1 example, they declare that nan caregiver stole morphine that was meant to spell to a diligent experiencing "severe pain." They said Chismire's alleged supplier usage was wide known moreover among nan hospital's management, PennLive reports.

The erstwhile nurses said nan “nursing managers person grown numb to [the nurse’s] criminal behaviour and illegally judge it arsenic nan norm.”

The Independent has requested remark from Heritage Valley Sewickley and nan nurse. On Wednesday morning, nan hospital's website appeared to beryllium down.

The suit besides claims that 2 patients connected to nan caregiver person died; a 70-year-old female and a 47-year-old man.

The female died aft nan caregiver allegedly near her waiting to received curen for hours aft she arrived astatine nan hospital. She died of an unspecified "medication error."

As for nan 47-year-old, he was reportedly neglected aft checking himself successful pinch symptoms related to intoxicant withdrawal. The filing claims that nan man ne'er person attraction and was later recovered dormant successful his car from a caput injury.

The suit besides accuses nan infirmary of engaging successful fraudulent billing to obfuscate nan narcotics allegedly taken by nan nurse. It claims nan infirmary fixed its books to make it look arsenic though nan narcotics were utilized for valid aesculapian purposes.

The caregiver worked astatine Heritage Valley until early 2026, and its unclear if they are still employed by nan facility.

The plaintiffs successful nan lawsuit are seeking compensatory and punitive damages.