Nurse charged in the deaths of 17 patients bullied diabetic man before his death
The family of a severely diabetic man, whom authorities said died due to the actions of a nurse overseeing his care last year, has filed a wrongful death suit against the facility where he lived. They allege that the facility allowed the nurse to mistreat him, leading to his demise.
Former nursing home nurse Heather Pressdee has been charged with administering excessive doses of insulin to patients, 17 of whom died. She allegedly mistreated a total of 22 patients, some diabetic and others not, with dangerous doses at five different care facilities from 2020 to this year, according to the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.
The new lawsuit targets Sunnyview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Butler County, Pennsylvania, where Nicholas Cymbol died on May 1, 2023. Filed in Butler County, the suit accuses the center and its operator of negligence, failure to train employees to recognize and report abuse, and failure to remove Pressdee from Cymbol’s care despite her abusive behavior.
Sunnyview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Cymbol, 43, was a resident at Sunnyview, requiring around-the-clock care due to his brittle diabetes, anoxic brain injury, blindness, and neuropathy.
Pressdee, hired in January 2023, was the manager of Cymbol's unit and responsible for resident care and internal investigations into staff complaints or abuse. The complaint alleges that she routinely insulted, berated, and bullied Cymbol, even in front of other staff members.
Despite warnings and red flags, Pressdee was not removed from Cymbol's care. On April 30, 2023, she administered a lethal dose of insulin to Cymbol, causing his blood sugar to plummet. She attempted to reverse the drop but initially refused to call 911.
After Cymbol was hospitalized for hypoglycemia and discharged, Sunnyview nursing staff allegedly failed to monitor his condition. His health gradually declined, and he was found in a hypoglycemic crisis on May 1, foaming at the mouth. He was pronounced dead shortly after.
Pressdee was terminated by Sunnyview for abusive behavior toward residents and staff after Cymbol's death.
The lawsuit also highlights Pressdee's troubled career history and erratic behavior at Sunnyview, which allegedly went unnoticed or ignored by the facility's staff. The suit seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive damages and demands a jury trial.
Attorney Rob Peirce, representing Cymbol’s family, expressed concerns about how Pressdee was allowed to continue working despite her abusive behavior. The lawsuit aims to uncover why these tragedies were allowed to happen in these facilities.
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