TACOMA, Wash., May 8 /PRNewswire/ -- The family of Florence Pierpoint, a 79-year old nursing home patient who died while in the care of a Tacoma nursing home, today filed a lawsuit against the home operator after a Pierce County medical examiner ruled her death a homicide caused by a morphine overdose.
The complaint cites allegations of abuse and neglect against Nisqually Valley Care Center and its parent company Soundcare Inc., including charges that the facility's staff failed to administer medications according to the physician's orders and neglected to monitor Pierpoint's condition.
According to the complaint, Pierpoint was transported to the skilled nursing section of the facility after returning from a stay at a local hospital where she was treated for pneumonia she acquired in the nursing home.
"When Florence arrived back at Nisqually, the staff was given very clear and basic orders from her physician that included carefully prescribed doses of morphine to manage her pain as needed," said Brad J. Moore of Stritmatter Kessler, an attorney representing the family. "The day after Florence returned to the home, her condition began a dramatic slide downward, fueled by repeated injections of large doses of morphine and other drugs well beyond her doctor's orders."
The day of her return to the home, a registered nurse evaluating Pierpoint noted that she was alert and oriented, stating that her moderate discomfort was controlled with Tylenol, court records show.
"That same day, the nursing home began pushing morphine on Florence, totaling six doses in that one day alone," Moore said. "How the staff went from Tylenol to six doses of morphine in a single day is beyond comprehension."
On November 2, 2004, Nisqually records show a sudden and drastic decline in Pierpoint's condition, noting confusion and disorientation. Records also show bruising on Pierpoint's arms, but according to the complaint, the nursing home's response was to administer additional doses of morphine and Xanax, a powerful anti-anxiety drug, the complaint contends.
Later that day, Nisqually staff reported that Pierpoint was becoming increasingly restless and they administered additional morphine.
"I noticed my mom's dramatic slide, from awake and aware to nearly comatose," said Linda Fox, Pierpoint's daughter. "I raised these issues with Nisqually's staff, but they chose to ignore my pleas."
Pierpoint died less than one hour after the additional morphine was administered.
An autopsy by the chief Pierce County medical examiner, John Howard, M.D., ruled that Pierpoint died of "acute morphine poisoning." In his declaration, Howard states that "there is no indication in the patient's record that the level and dosage and frequency of administration, sometimes on the hour, was justified." Howard classified the death as a homicide.
Howard goes on to note that two of the symptoms of morphine poisoning are restlessness and agitation.
"We intend to prove to a jury that Nisqually failed to follow the physician's instructions when caring for Florence," said Ron Meyers, co-counsel representing the family. "We will show that when she began showing symptoms of morphine poisoning, they did exactly the wrong thing - they gave her one more, lethal dose.
"Florence's family is adamant that the nursing home and the responsible staff be held accountable for their actions," Meyers said. "Their deepest fear is that other patients could be at risk."
Inspectors from the State of Washington found Nisqually in violation of state and federal regulations regarding quality of care in this case.
Soundcare Inc. operates four facilities in Washington, including Bridgeport Place Assisted Living and University Place Care Center, both in Tacoma, Wash., Messenger House Care Center in Bainbridge, Wash. and Nisqually Valley Care Center and Nisqually Valley Residential Care in McKenna, Wash.
The suit was filed in the Superior Court of Washington for Pierce County. About Stritmatter Kessler
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