[hoolahan]

http://kyw.com/Local%20News/local_story_267142842.html

Nursing Home Feeding Tubes Cut

Six Tubes Were Slashed

Patients Taken To Temple University Hospital

Sep 23, 2004 11:22 pm US/Eastern
PHILADELPHIA (AP) Someone slipped into the rooms of six patients at a Philadelphia nursing home and cut the feeding tubes keeping them alive, police said Thursday.

All six patients at the city-owned Philadelphia Nursing Home survived after the slashed tubes were discovered Wednesday morning. The tubes were reinserted at an area hospital.

Police said they could not name a suspect, but vowed to make a quick arrest.

"For somebody to do this kind of act is extremely barbaric," said police Inspector William Colarulo.

He said investigators were trying to learn who might have had access to the patients. The facility is usually open to visitors for much of the day.

The patients were never in any serious danger because of the act, health officials said. People who rely on food and fluid from a feeding tube can generally live without one for several days before they die of starvation or thirst.

The victims of the incident all had medical conditions that have limited their cognitive abilities and will likely make them unable to identify their attackers. One had dementia. Another was a stroke patient. One had a brain tumor. They ranged in age from their 40s to 80s.

All six victims were in the same 48-patient unit in the nursing home, but were in separate rooms.

Kevin Feeley, a spokesman for Episcopal Long Term Care, the company that operates the home for the city, said the leaking tubes were discovered no longer than 90 minutes after they were cut, and possibly as soon as 15 minutes.

He said all 10 staff people who work in the unit were being questioned by police. Officers were also present in the building Thursday.

"The police have assured us that it is safe for people to be there," Feeley said.

In 1998, the city and Episcopal Long Term Care agreed to improve conditions there to settle a Justice Department complaint that patients there had been subjected to abuse and neglect.


(© 2004 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. )

[Cubby]

I wonder exactly what the person who did this thought they were going to accomplish. It is truly a sad strange world we live (and try to survive) in.
Love the avatar by the way.

[HeadStrong]

From what I hear, the conditions at that home are what breed discruntled employees.

[oramar]

I would say insider for sure. The situation begs the question. If you are angry about your job why are you attacking helpless people? Go slash the bosses tires or something for heavens sake.

[laughingfairy]

This raises several questions for me.

A spokes person for the facility said that they had first thought there was an equipment malfunction. And that is why they did not initially call the police.

Stranger things have happened. (I know not probable but possible i.e. does the facility change all their tubes on the same night, and all the tubes were from the same batch?)

Anyway I do not like the yellow journalism way this is being portrayed. Words like "slashed" and "barbaric." Local news went as far as to say that the "facility destroyed the crime scene." This is so over sensationalized.

I think all this story has done is freak out people who do not understand. And the backlash will be felt by all LTC.

[NRSKarenRN]

Arrest Warrant Issued For Woman Accused Of Severing Feeding Tubes

The Philadelphia District Attorney's office is charging 53-year-old Joan Wood Barnes with six counts of simple asaault, 6 counts of recklessly endangering another person, and 6 counts of posession of an instrument of crime.