ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY NURSE PLEADS GUILTY TO NEGLECT OF A VULNERABLE ADULT

Attorney General J. Joseph Curran, Jr., announced today that an Anne Arundel County nurse, Nancy Stone, pled guilty to neglect of a vulnerable adult. Anne Arundel Circuit Judge Joseph P. Manck sentenced Stone to two years in jail, all suspended, and placed her on three years probation. As special conditions of her probation, Stone is to pay a fine of $1,000 and perform 200 hours of community service. Judge Manck also ordered that Stone is prohibited from taking care of vulnerable adults during the period of her probation.

Nancy Stone, RN, 59, of Annapolis, was the delegating nurse for Millersville Home Care, an assisted living facility in Millersville. Stone’s responsibilities included performing a full assessment of each resident under her care. Stone pled guilty to intentionally failing to perform the necessary assessment of Thelma Wooden, a 94-year-old bedridden resident at Millersville Home Care.

On September 13, 2003, Stone filled out paperwork indicating that she had assessed Wooden and that, in particular, her skin condition had no changes since Stone’s prior visit in July, in which Stone noted Wooden’s skin as “fragile.” In fact, the State presented photographs of Ms. Wooden’s feet taken by Wooden’s podiatrist on September 4, 2003, that plainly showed serious bedsores and skin deterioration on both feet. Furthermore, just six days after Stone’s visit on September 13, 2003, Wooden was taken to the hospital where she was found to have more than 10 skin ulcers on her body, seven of which had deteriorated past the top layer of skin down to the muscle. In addition, the records from the facility reflected findings of skin sores on Wooden’s back that were also not addressed by Stone. The State also presented Ms. Wooden’s official Plan of Care, which, because Ms. Wooden was bedridden and therefore prone to skin ulcers, states specifically that Ms. Wooden’s skin should be monitored daily for red marks. Despite all of these requirements and indications, Stone’s record does not reflect a finding of any skin problems for Ms. Wooden.

Erlinda Sarabia, the owner of the facility, is also charged with felony neglect and other crimes in a separate indictment. Trial in that case is set for May 8, 2006.