Michigan nurse allegedly falsified medical records of elderly patient after fall

(CBS) – A Michigan nurse is accused of falsifying the medical records of an elderly patient after he fell out of a wheelchair.

According to the Michigan Attorney General’s Office, 49-year-old Tessy I. Idusuyi of East Lansing is charged with intentionally making false statements in a record and fourth-degree adult abuse.

Idusuyi, who worked at the Ingham County Medical Care Facility in Okemos, was arraigned Tuesday in 55th District Court and held on $15,000 bail.

According to a press release, state officials said on April 12, 2023, Idusuyi allegedly pushed the 93-year-old wheelchair-bound resident “in a manner that was contrary to facility safety policies.” The resident fell forward and suffered head and shoulder injuries.

“Idusuyi failed to perform the required neurological examinations on the resident and did not complete an unusual occurrence (UO) document as required after such incidents,” a press release said.

The following day, April 13, Idusuyi denied that the fall had happened during her shift, but when told that surveillance footage was being reviewed, she produced an unusual occurrence document showing that she had performed neurological tests on the patient.

“We rely on nurses to provide reliable and compassionate care,” Attorney General Dana Nessel said in the release. “Failure to follow basic safety procedures, coupled with attempting to avoid detection when an injury has already occurred, is behavior that has consequences. My department is committed to protecting vulnerable adults and ensuring those responsible for neglect are held accountable.”

A hearing to determine whether there is sufficient suspicion of a crime is scheduled for July 2 and a preliminary investigation is scheduled for July 9.