Nurses Who Harm Patients

madwife2002, BSN, RN

When we entrust our loved ones to the care of Nurses, few people really believe that they are going to be deliberately harmed by Health care professionals. Surprisingly, over 2000 Nurses worldwide have been convicted of harming, or killing their patients.

Often these nurses move around from job to job, which makes it difficult for them to be caught. Frequently these nurses are fired and suspended from jobs. Hospitals do not want negative publicity so often they will move suspicious staff to jobs where there is minimum contact with patients or just fire them, so they go away.

History shows us that there are RN's out there who do harm and kill patients.

Of all healthcare professionals who kill their patients 86% of them are nurses both male and female. They are prolific serial killers, who have the means, opportunity and ideal place to perform their crime.

Facts

On 10/14/2014 a nurse in Italy was arrested for murdering 38 of her patients because they or their family irritated her. Daniela Poggiali apparently used potassium chloride to kill her patients and even took a photo of herself next to the dead body.

Quote
"Colleague described her as a 'cold person who was always eager to work.' This included the allegation from a co-worker that Poggiali would give patients strong laxatives at the end of her shift to make work more difficult for the nurses taking over."

Lainz Angels of Death were 4 nurses in Vienna who started killing their patients from 1983-1991 they admitted to 48 but it is thought that there could be as many as 200 patients who lost their lives.

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'It was their own carelessness that finally stopped them. Over drinks one day, they relived one of their latest cases, laughing over the patient's distress and the fact that she deserved her fate. At a table nearby sat a doctor. What he overheard sent him scurrying to the police station, and they quickly launched an investigation. It took six weeks, but all four women were arrested on April 7, 1989. The doctor in charge of their ward was suspended." Crimelibrary.com

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June 1987 to January 1992 -- Cullen works at St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, N.J. The hospital said it fired Cullen, but declined to say why.
February 1992 to December 1993 -- Cullen employed at Warren Hospital in Phillipsburg, N.J. Cullen quits two months after he and other nurses are questioned in the death of a 91-year-old patient.
April 1994 to October 1996 -- Cullen works at Hunterdon Medical Center in Flemington, N.J.
November 1996 to August 1997 -- Cullen employed at Morristown Memorial Hospital in Morristown, N.J. The hospital says it fired Cullen for "poor performance."' (The Associated Press, 2004b)

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Genene Jones worked at several medical clinics around San Antonio, Texas as a pediatric nurse. It is believed that during this time she injected numerous infants and babies with life-threatening drugs. The exact number of children who died as a result of Jones is unknown, however in 1985 she was convicted of killing a four-week-old child.

Quote
"She seems to have been motivated by a drive for ruthless efficiency to free up a hospital bed," prosecutor Robin Spencer QC told Chester Crown Court. "One way or another she wanted these patients off her ward. She quite deliberately and brazenly overstepped the line between humane nursing and callous dispatch."

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The problems with her previous employment which involved stealing drugs was also brought to light. Plus the fact that she lied on her application and did not put that she had worked as a nurse.

Why do nurses harm or kill patients?

Quote
Three former workers at an assisted living center pleaded guilty Monday to neglecting a dying 83-year-old Alzheimer's patient who police say was kicked and stomped by one of their co-workers. Prosecutors said the three women failed to get help for William Neff for days after he was severely beaten by a frustrated nurse's aide at the Alterra Clare Bridge personal care home in Lower Makefield in 2000. (Caruso, 2003)

How to identify, spot and stop

During research and investigations into why Nurses kill or injure their patients many of the serial killers showed similar types of behavior. The red flags include...

See it, Say it

As healthcare professionals we need to be vigilant and if we see abuse of patients or witness something, which doesn't seem quite right with one of co-workers, we cannot just ignore the signs, we are accountable and we must hold others accountable for their actions.

We mustn't become a passive bystander we have to look after our patients and keep them safe from harm. If you see it then say it!

It is difficult to speak up sometimes especially when it is something as serious as patient abuse, or a suspicious patient death but it is our duty to protect our patients and we have to stand and be counted!

References

Angels of Death:The female nurses by Katherine Ramsland. Retrieved from

http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/angels/female_nurses/index.html

Nurse accused of killing 38 patients that she found annoying. Retrieved from Nurse accused of killing 38 patients she found annoying | New York Post

Kimberly Saenz, Angel of Death, Retrieved from Kimberly Saenz

When Nurses kill-Psychology, by Katherine Ramsland, Phd. Retrieved from When Nurses Kill | Psychology Today

Charles Cullen was fired 5 times and forced to resign twice before he was arrested for murder. Charles used digoxin to kill his patients he admitted to killing over 40 patients and injuring many more but was only convicted of killing 29. His youngest victim was only 21.
Genene Ann Jones was convicted of killing only 1 baby in 1981 but it is believed she the number is closer to 45. Genene used muscle relaxants to cause respiratory arrest. Genene is due to be paroled in 2017. Genene was fired from her first job for making decisions where she had no authority and mistreating her patient who complained.
In the UK Barbara Salisbury is currently standing trail for trying to kill her patients to free up the beds. Barbara allegedly boosted a pain med pump 76 times during one shift-using medication 8 hours quicker than prescribed.
April 2013, In Texas Kimberley Saenz was convicted of causing death by injecting 5 patients with bleach and 5 other patients were injured by Kimberley. Kimberley was seen by a couple of patients walk over to the bleach with syringes, draw up the bleach then walk over and administered it to two patients. They immediately called for help.
Hospitals provide an ideal location for serial killers; the means to kill are readily available.
Medical murders are not easily detected! There is something called 'The code of silence'
Research has shown that Nurses who kill are often seeking power; control, attention, financial gain and they enjoy the feeling of being a 'hero'.
Often the medical professional will defend himself or herself by saying it was an act of mercy, and that they were only performing euthanasia.
Murder becomes addictive, they can't stop, and in some cases it has given the nurse a sexual thrill so they want to feel that again.
Nurses are given macabre nicknames by patients or others on staff, such as "Death Angel," or "The Terminator.
They are seen entering rooms where unexpected deaths occurred.
They moved often from one facility to another.
They were secretive.
They had a persistently difficult time with personal relationships.
They liked to "predict" when a patient would die.
They made inconsistent statements when asked about suspicious incidents.
They often preferred shifts where fewer colleagues and supervisors were around (generally the night shift).
They were associated with several incidents at different institutions.
They craved attention.
They would complain a lot about what a burden patients were.
Often tried to prevent others from checking on patients.
They were seen in areas or patient rooms where they didn't belong.
They hung around during the immediate death investigation.
They possessed the suspect substance in their home, locker, or personal effects.
They had lied about some detail of their personal information or credentials, or had falsified reports.
They had been involved in other types of criminal activities.
They had a substance abuse problem.

Nurses Who Harm Patients

Facts

Why do nurses harm or kill patients?

How to identify, spot and stop

See it, Say it

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