Saturday, May 08, 2010

Nursing Home Death Ignites Official Inquiry

CHAPEL HILL -- An 84-year-old nursing-home patient who died in February had toxic levels of morphine in her body, according to a medical examiner's report released last month.

The State Bureau of Investigation is looking into Britthaven of Chapel Hill after several residents tested positive for opiates following Rachel Holliday's death on Feb. 16.

UNC Hospitals caregivers found more than 50,000 nanograms of morphine per milliliter in Holliday's urine. More than 2,000 nanograms would trigger a positive result in employment screenings, based on federal guidelines.


nursing home probe - Health/Science - NewsObserver.com