An unnamed nurse at St. Cloud (Minn.) Hospital has been suspended as the Drug Enforcement Administration and Food and Drug Administration conduct an investigation into her suspected involvement in 23 patients' infection, according to a St. Cloud Times news report.
The nurse allegedly introduced bacterial infection to 23 patients while stealing pain medication from patients' IV bags with a syringe for personal use. The nurse then allegedly replaced the missing medication with saline or air to make the IV bags appear untouched, according to the news report.
According to Linda Chmielewski, vice president of hospital operations and chief nursing officer, the patients were infected with Ochrobactrum anthropi and Klebsiella oxytoca, which are usually found in the air or on surfaces but not usually in people.
All patients have been appropriately treated with antibiotics and are not expected to experience any long-term effects as a result of their infections. The hospital has changed all IV bags, and new IV bags now have an exterior bag to easily show if they have been tampered with, according to the news report.
Read the news report about the infection investigation at St. Cloud Hospital.
Read other coverage about hospital infections:
- Appeals Court Allows MRSA Patient's Lawsuit Against Hospital to Go Forward
- Patients File Lawsuit Over Tulane Medical Center's Failure to Sterilize Endoscopes
The nurse allegedly introduced bacterial infection to 23 patients while stealing pain medication from patients' IV bags with a syringe for personal use. The nurse then allegedly replaced the missing medication with saline or air to make the IV bags appear untouched, according to the news report.
According to Linda Chmielewski, vice president of hospital operations and chief nursing officer, the patients were infected with Ochrobactrum anthropi and Klebsiella oxytoca, which are usually found in the air or on surfaces but not usually in people.
All patients have been appropriately treated with antibiotics and are not expected to experience any long-term effects as a result of their infections. The hospital has changed all IV bags, and new IV bags now have an exterior bag to easily show if they have been tampered with, according to the news report.
Read the news report about the infection investigation at St. Cloud Hospital.
Read other coverage about hospital infections:
- Appeals Court Allows MRSA Patient's Lawsuit Against Hospital to Go Forward
- Patients File Lawsuit Over Tulane Medical Center's Failure to Sterilize Endoscopes
