Hospice Nurse Convicted of Misdemeanor Elder Abuse
According to a report from the Willows Journal in Willows, California, a woman was convicted and sentenced to three years of probation following misdemeanor elder abuse charges. The report states Susan Ivy’s sentence was originally set for 6 months in a county jail at the recommendation of the District Attorney, however, the court judge suspended the sentence pending Ivy’s completion of her probation sentence.
Ivy also faced a felony charge of inflicting pain upon an elder but was found not guilty of this charge as Ivy was found neglectful and did not commit any crimes intentionally. According to the judge, Ivy, a professional hospice care nurse in Maryland, was intoxicated and demonstrated that she was entirely unable to care for her 93-year-old mother. During Ivy’s probation period, she is not allowed to see her mother without the supervision of somebody else in the family.
This incident may not present a situation where an elderly person was intentionally neglected or abused; however, it is still very unfortunate when a nursing professional is negligent. Whether it is an in-home nurse or the nursing staff at an elder care facility, nurses should always maintain professionalism and ensure that they are always able to care for the people they are in charge of taking care of. This is especially true when it is a relative such as in this incident. There is no excuse for a professional hospice nurse or any other nursing professional to neglect caring for an elderly person. If your loved ones have been neglected in any way, an Arizona attorney can assist you in getting the justice your loved ones deserve.
