taping eldery womans mouth shut
By itsjustmeb
@itsjustmeb (1212)
Canada
February 14, 2007 11:37pm CST
Staff tape shut elderly woman's mouth in N.S. home
Updated Wed. Feb. 14 2007 11:01 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
Officials at a Nova Scotia nursing home have suspended two nurses who taped an elderly woman's mouth shut. They then drew a smiley face on the tape.
The incident happened late last month at New Glasgow's Glen Haven Manor, but administrators only heard about the matter recently.
Administrators said the two nurses used medical tape on the mouth of an agitated 85-year-old woman. The thin, almost clear tape is commonly used to hold bandages on skin, and not very sticky.
"We don't condone the action at all," administrator Jim Ferguson told CTV Atlantic.
"It is, in fact, abuse -- a form of abuse. Although, in this situation it was not done maliciously."
The home's board of directors suspended the nurses for what it called "witless humour" and "repugnant conduct."
Other staff members also face disciplinary action.
"There were other employees that knew of the incident and it wasn't reported right away," said Don Hussher, the board's chairman.
There are more than 200 residents at Glen Haven Manor, and the incident has shocked many of their families.
"You're talking about a person who deserves our respect, not to be taped up and left in the corner, unable to make a sound," said Tim MacKenzie, a relative of one of the home's residents.
News of the incident reached the province's Legislature on Wednesday, and Health Minister Chris d'Entremont vowed that his department would look into the matter.
"Outside of my stomach turning, this is not something that I want to see happen to anyone we have in care," he told reporters.
"This is something I will take quite seriously and continue to look at over the next few days."
Meanwhile, the two nurses have accepted their suspension without grievance. Administrators said they are currently scheduling a program on how to settle workplace conflicts for employees.
Janet Hazelton, the head of Nova Scotia's nursing union, said the incident is disturbing but officials have taken appropriate action.
"Everyone is satisfied that, although the incident ought not to have happened, it's been dealt with, and dealt with most appropriated by everyone involved," she said.
With a report by CTV's Dan MacIntosh in New Glasgow
2 people like this
2 responses
@highflyingxangel (9225)
• United States
15 Feb 07
That's horrible. People in positions such as that can get frustrated easily, especially if they have little patience in their lives, but that does not condone the act of taping a womans mouth shut. Personally, I think those people should be put through a series of tests before they are allowed to work in childcare or elderly care settings just to make sure they can deal with the stress.
1 person likes this
@karsted (240)
• Canada
15 Feb 07
That is a terrible thing to have happened to that poorold woman. I cant believe anyone would do something like that to an elderly person, especially someone who is employeed there. I worked in a care home for the elderly for 3 years, and I couldn't imagine something like that happening. Not on my watch, anyways. I would definately report an incident like that to my superiors, immediately. It is shameful that it was kept a secret. This is not the first nursing home in Canada with a problem. I have seen different programs, like The Fifth Estate, and things like that, where they talk about this kind of thing. They have even caught people on tape, abusing the elderly.
I think criminal charges should be laid in every incident of elder abuse that is proven. Those nurses deserve more punishment than they received that is for sure. They should have been in handcuffs, with some medical tape and smiley faces taped over their mouths. Sittin in the cells, at least over a weekend or something. I dont know, I think the whole thing is pretty sad.
