A State Health Department report released yesterday, April 13, has found a registered nurse (RN) partially responsible in the December 2009 death of an 80-year-old resident at Woodbury Health Care Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. The RN has a history of disciplinary actions and incorrectly ordered a halt to CPR on the woman, who suffered from breathing abnormalities and breast cancer.

The nurse told a fellow staffer who was engaged in resuscitation efforts that the woman was dead, and when the staffer continued to apply CPR the nurse raised her voice and repeated that the woman was dead until the staffer stopped.

In a statement in response to the Health Department’s report, the nursing home says that they have fired the nurse.

“Woodbury concluded that the nurse’s actions were not authorized,” the statement read. “This isolated incident does not represent the typical level of quality [care] by our devoted staff.”

The RN’s file showed a number of previous red flags. She had been cited for a lack of professionalism, inability to maintain relationships with subordinates, families, and residents, and a lack of job knowledge. In 2007 a doctor filed a formal complaint against her for “improper conduct.” She was also disciplined in 2009 for incorrectly following wound-management protocol.

It is vitally important that the staff members who will be caring for your loved ones are competent and well-trained. If someone you love has been the victim of an incompetent nursing home, contact the New Jersey nursing home abuse attorneys of Levinson Axelrod at 800-346-5529 today to discuss your legal options.