From the Chattanooga Times Free Press: A Cleveland, Tennessee, woman allegedly pretended she was a nurse at Erlanger's downtown Chattanooga hospit
From the Chattanooga Times Free Press: A Cleveland, Tennessee, woman allegedly pretended she was a nurse at Erlanger’s downtown Chattanooga hospital Sunday, removing one patient’s IV and attempting to remove monitoring equipment from another, according to court filings.
Lydia Brock, 28, now faces nine charges, including aggravated assault, impersonating a licensed professional and abuse of vulnerable adults, jail records show.
She was placed on a mental health hold following the incident, according to an affidavit in the case.
Brock told two patients at Erlanger she was a nurse, while she was wearing a hospital gown, according to a report from the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office.
She told one patient, an 85-year-old man, that he was being released from the hospital that day, authorities said. She then reportedly removed him from monitoring equipment and took out his IV.
Brock then reportedly went into a second room and tried to remove monitoring equipment from the patient there, a 69-year-old woman. The patient’s family stopped her and reported the incident to staff, the affidavit states.
Both patients were in the hospital for “altered mental status and are very sick,” authorities said. The families of both patients told deputies they wanted to press charges against Brock, according to the affidavit.
Security staff reportedly found vials of blood, fentanyl and lidocaine, a local anesthetic medication, in Brock’s purse. She was also found to be carrying syringes, an Erlanger badge, unidentified pills and several empty prescription bottles — all from different doctors — according to the report. She was charged with possessing drug paraphernalia.
Brock said she was carrying the blood and medication because she forgot to toss them at the end of her shift, deputies said.
It is unclear whether the blood belonged to Brock or to another person. Brock had been admitted to the hospital for treatment related to a possible esophagus tear and vein issue, according to court documents.
Deputies on the scene looked up Brock’s record and found she had been flagged for “doctor shopping” after reportedly using 13 different doctors to access prescription pills.
Brock is set to appear in court July 6 in front of Hamilton County General Sessions Judge Gary Starnes.
