Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox Charges Lansing-Area Nurse With Abuse of 95-Year-Old Nursing Home Patient
Wednesday, September 14th, 2005.
Lansing, MI – Attorney General Mike Cox announced today the filing of two criminal charges against a Lansing registered nurse for abusing a 95-year-old nursing home patient and recklessly placing false information in the patient’s medical chart.
“More than 100,000 Michigan citizens reside in nursing homes around the state and my office is committed to protecting those residents,” said Cox.
Margaret Haeck, R.N., 67 of Lansing, turned herself in to Attorney General investigators on Wednesday. She was arraigned by Judge Paul F. Berger in Charlotte’s 56-A District Court on one count each of Nursing Home Patient Abuse and Recklessly Placing False Information on a Medical Chart. Each misdemeanor charge carries a maximum penalty of one year in jail and/or a $1000 fine. Haeck, who was released on a $500 personal recognizance bond, will be back in court October 7 at 8:30 a.m. for a pre-trial conference.
The charges arise from a chain of events at Tendercare West Nursing Home in Delta Township between February and March 2005. Haeck allegedly failed to find and remove nitroglycerin patches from a 95-year-old female patient before applying new patches. As a result, the victim was transferred to a hospital and treated for low blood pressure and a low heart rate. Tendercare West was cited by the Michigan Department of Community Health for falsification of a medical record and Haeck is no longer employed at the facility.
A criminal charge is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
To report Medicaid provider fraud or identity theft/patient abuse in a resident care facility, call the Attorney General’s 24-hour Hotline at 800 24-ABUSE (800-242-2873);
e-mail hcf@michigan.gov; or visit the Attorney General’s Web site at www.michigan.gov/ag.
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