W.H. nurse, two others, arrested for negligence in patient death

Nurses failed to respond to ventilator alarms

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Two nurses, one a West Hempstead resident, and a nurse's aid were arrested on Dec. 27 for endangering and neglecting an 81-year-old resident when they failed to respond to the patient’s ventilator alarms, the state attorney general’s office announced yesterday.

The patient, whose identity is being kept confidential, lived on a specialized ventilator unit at the A. Holly Patterson Extended Care Facility in Uniondale, and was entirely dependent on the nursing staff for its operation. Felony complaints filed in the Nassau County allege that on Dec. 20, 2015, the defendants — registered nurses Annieamma Augustine, 57, of West Hempstead, Sijimole Reji, 42, of Smithtown and a certified nurse aide, Martine Morland, 41, of Freeport — ignored the emergency ventilator alarm for more than nine minutes and failed to provide any assistance to the resident who languished without oxygen.

Eventually, when staff entered her room, they discovered that the resident was unresponsive and unconscious. She was transported to Nassau University Medical Center where she died the following day.

If convicted, they each face up to seven years in prison. None of the defendants still work at the facility.

“These allegations paint a picture of blatant neglect that ultimately resulted in the death of a patient,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “My office will always hold accountable those medical professionals and others who knowingly ignore a patient’s basic needs or recklessly place any nursing home resident in a life-threatening situation.”

The defendants pled not guilty and were arraigned in Nassau County First District Court.