PA Hospital Failed to Report RN Drug Incident

By Walter F. Roche Jr.

A Renovo hospital has been cited by the state Health Department for not properly reporting that an agency nurse had been caught diverting narcotic drugs and was under the influence while on duty.
The report on the Bucktail Medical Center states that the nurse was caught on Oct. 16, 2020, but the information wasn't reported to the Patient Safety Authority until June of this year.
The report notes that under Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error Act, such an incident should have been reported within 24 hours of its discovery.
In addition the hospital, which describes itself as a 23-bed critical access hospital, failed to report the matter to the state Attorney General's office.
A review of meeting minutes of the hospitals governing board showed the fact that a nurse had diverted and tampered with narcotic drugs was discussed at a subsequent meeting of the facility's governing board.
The facility also failed to report that the hospital had gone on lockdown on March 2 of this year. The lockdown was triggered by the report of a shooter in the area.
The lockdown, which prevented patients or visitors from leaving or entering the building, was also belatedly reported to the state.
The hospital filed a plan of correction in which it promised to properly report unusual incidents both internally and externally.
Hospital officials did not respond to a series of questions on the report.
Other items in the report included the failure of two board members to file annual conflict of interest reports, food not being kept at proper temperatures, and missing continuing education requirements.
Contact: wfrochejr999@gmail.com