CASE UPDATE: Nurse Charged with Neglect Waives Preliminary Hearing

April 4, 2018 | Topic: Criminal

Luzerne County Nurse Supervisor Charged with Felony Neglect Following Death of Nursing Home Patient

HARRISBURG — Attorney General Josh Shapiro today announced that a Luzerne County nursing supervisor who did not follow life-saving protocols after a patient removed her own tracheostomy twice in less than an hour has waived her preliminary hearing for final disposition in the Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas.

Kelly Levandowski is charged with neglect of a care-dependent person – a first degree felony – after she failed to call 9-1-1 and take proper staffing precautions when a patient of the nursing home for which she was employed removed her own tracheostomy.

“This defendant could have saved a woman’s life by simply following the protocols of her employer. Instead, she neglected a patient entrusted to her care, ultimately leading to the patient’s death,” Attorney General Shapiro said. “Nothing we can do will ever fill the loss in the hearts of this senior’s loved ones, but today we’re going to hold this nurse accountable. We’re using every resource at our disposal to protect care-dependent Pennsylvanians.”

A disposition date is scheduled for May 24. The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Nathan Giunta.

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