2 former N.S. health employees charged with forgery in connection to patient death

Two former employees of the Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA) have been charged in connection with the death of an elderly patient who was found on the sidewalk outside the Cape Breton Regional Hospital in February.

The 79-year-old man was found unresponsive in the early morning hours of Feb. 23.

Cape Breton Regional Police say Tammy Carrigan-Warner, 41, of Sydney River and Valerie MacGillivary, 47, of Glace Bay have been charged with forgery.

Police say their investigation into the death revealed documentation about the patient’s status during the overnight hours of Feb. 22 had allegedly been forged. Their investigation was launched at the request of the medical examiner’s office.

“The charges were filed in court yesterday (Monday), and they (the women) are scheduled on a promise to appear for a later date,” police spokeswoman Desiree Vassallo said in an email.

“I can’t speak to the specifics of the alleged forgery – those details are part of evidence that will be presented in court as part of that process,” said Vassallo.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I can't speak to the specifics of the alleged forgery - those details are part of evidence that will be presented in court as part of that process," said Vassallo.

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The health authority confirmed both women had been employed as nurses at the hospital. Both have since been terminated.

In an interview Tuesday, Janet Knox, CEO of the Nova Scotia Health Authority, offered no specifics about the incident, saying an internal review is still underway.

“What I can say is we believe the incident was preventable,” said Knox.

“The Nova Scotia Health Authority takes patient safety seriously, so we have apologized directly to this patient’s family … we deeply regret what’s happened.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "The Nova Scotia Health Authority takes patient safety seriously, so we have apologized directly to this patient's family … we deeply regret what's happened."

Knox wouldn’t answer any questions about the patient, his condition, or how he died, citing patient confidentiality.

The health authority has launched their own investigation into what happened.

The College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Nova Scotia and the College of Registered Nurses of Nova Scotia said Tuesday they have launched a joint investigation into the nurses’ professional conduct.

They said any licensing sanction will be released publicly.

Knox said no disciplinary action has been taken against any other hospital employees.

She said a “robust” process is in place to determine what happened, adding that it’s important for the public to understand that “they can trust us.”

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That report will be shared with the family if requested, she said.

“When we have an incident we look at the total process of the work around what is expected to have been done and what was done,” she said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "When we have an incident we look at the total process of the work around what is expected to have been done and what was done," she said.

In a letter to staff, Knox reiterated the authority had apologized to the family and were “deeply sorry,” and added that help will be offered to any hospital staff who want it.

“The patient’s death was a disturbing and heartbreaking loss for the family members,” she said in the note. “This event has also been deeply upsetting for staff who cared for the patient.”

With files from the Canadian Press