Defendant Allegedly Failed To Properly Care For Patient And Left Patient Unattended
ALBANY – Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced the arrest and arraignment of Courtney Allen, a Certified Nurse Assistant (C.N.A.) from Glens Falls. Allen is facing charges that she endangered the welfare of a nursing home resident at The Stanton Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Queensbury by failing to provide appropriate care to an 83 year old woman, resulting in the resident fracturing her hip.
The information alleges on September 14, 2014, Allen was responsible for providing care to a nursing home resident who recently suffered a stroke, leaving her weak on her right side. While providing toileting care, Allen is accused of failing to follow the resident’s plan of care requiring the assistance of two people and left the resident unattended. The investigation revealed that the resident’s injury occurred while Allen left the resident unattended in the bathroom. As set forth in the information, Allen knew that the resident required the assistance of another staff member for care she provided alone. The resident was transported to the hospital where it was found she sustained a fracture to her right hip.
“Healthcare workers have a basic duty to provide proper care for their patients and to keep them safe, and my office will hold people accountable when they fall short of this obligation” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “Few responsibilities are more important than protecting elderly and vulnerable patients in our state’s nursing facilities.”
Allen was arraigned on charges of Endangering the Welfare of an Incompetent or Physically Disabled Person in the Second Degree, a class A Misdemeanor, and Wilful Violation of Health Laws, a Misdemeanor, before the Honorable Michael Muller in Queensbury Town Court. The defendant entered a not guilty plea and was released on her own recognizance.
The charges against the defendant are accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The investigation was conducted by Investigator Ronald Enfield of Albany’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit with the assistance of Supervising Investigator Dianne Tuffey and Medical Analyst Stephanie Keyser. Special Assistant Attorney General Erin Lynch of the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit’s Albany Regional Office is prosecuting the case with MFCU Regional Director Kathleen Boland. Catherine Wagner is MFCU's Upstate Chief of Criminal Investigations. William Falk is the MFCU Deputy Chief Investigator Upstate. The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit is led by Acting Director Amy Held. The Criminal Justice Division is led by Executive Deputy Attorney General Kelly Donovan.