Medical center staff say they have launched an investigation after up to 10 patients died at an Oregon hospital after a nurse allegedly switched fentanyl drips to tap water.
Officials at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center said they contacted law enforcement in early December after a former employee allegedly stole medical supplies.he new york post report.
Anonymous source at Medford Hospital Said Local NBC affiliate 9 or 10 people He died from an infection suspected to have been caused by medical malpractice.
The former nurse, who has since been fired and was reported to both the medical board and police, is accused of injecting patients with unsterile tap water to cover up stealing the hospital's painkiller fentanyl. There is.
Suspected IV replacement should be performed at least Fall 2022, rogue valley times report.
Families of two victims told local media that hospital officials told them their relatives' deaths were due to an infection caused by replacing painkillers with non-sterile tap water.
Barry Samsten, 74, reportedly died in July 2023 from a bacterial infection that caused multiple organ failure and septic shock.
“I remember thinking, 'Why do bedsores get so bad?'” Samsten's wife, Diane Rogers, said. “And when you do that in the ICU, it's like you're picking on people who are sicker or who can't speak.”
“He kept staring at me, his eyes rolled back. I said, 'He's in pain,' and the nurse said, 'No, he's not in pain,'” she said. Told.
The family of 36-year-old military veteran Samuel Allison received a call on Dec. 18 that his death, which was hospitalized in November 2022, was actually caused by a central infection related to a fentanyl and water exchange. I was told that it was.
Allison's brother, Garrett Atwood, said: times His brother's condition has stabilized since he was hospitalized with liver failure on October 14th.
However, Allison developed an infection shortly after being discharged from the ICU and died within days after being rushed to Oregon Health & Science University in Portland.
Atwood told the outlet that Asante officials told the family that Alison's pain medication had been “tampered with.” The grieving brothers further claimed that hospital officials told them that the infection he developed was “directly related to the tap water that the nurse in question was replacing.”
Atwood added that after the medical board and law enforcement were notified, the employee was fired and informed that he was no longer working in the medical field.
Medford Police Lt. Jeff Kirkpatrick said in a statement obtained by police, “We had concerns that this behavior could negatively impact patient care, but the extent of the impact on patients remains to be determined.” I haven't.'' new york post.
He declined to say whether the deaths were caused by drug theft or drug tampering.
“We're looking into whether that conduct led to harmful care to the patient, which could lead to death, and all sorts of other forms and things. … It I don't know if there were any fatalities,” said the lieutenant.
Police officials also said they had issued a warning to patients who may have been affected by the alleged drug exchange, but did not say exactly how many people had died or been affected.
It is unclear whether any arrests have been made in connection with the series of incidents.
The Oregon Health Authority also confirmed Wednesday that it is investigating the situation.
The hospital said in a statement that it was “deeply disappointed to learn of this matter.” “We have reported it to law enforcement and are working closely with police.”
