Kansas Nurse Pleads Guilty To Over Drugging Dementia Patient; Said She ‘Deserved Thanks’ For The Act

A 37-year-old Kansas nurse has pleaded guilty to intentionally administering the wrong medication to a dementia patient at a nursing home. She reportedly texted a co-worker a photo of the patient slumped over in a wheelchair and suggested she was responsible and “deserved thanks” for the act.

The incident took place in 2019 at Twin Oaks Rehab Center in Lansing. Jennifer Lynn Reavis, of Atchison, pleaded guilty to the charges Friday in Leavenworth County District Court, Associated Press reported.

“Your (sic) welcome! I hope she is asleep most of the day tomorrow,” Reaves wrote to an oncoming night nurse in the text that included the image of the victim sleeping in a wheelchair, prosecutors said.

In May 2019, administrators with the rehab center noticed that a patient had been getting evening medications along with the anti-anxiety drug Ativan and Benadryl when she was not supposed to. The administrators reported the matter to police and Reavis was later identified as the nurse responsible.

Reavis has now been charged with endangerment, unlawful administration of a controlled substance and battery. Currently, she is free on bond and is awaiting sentencing, according to prosecutors.

The prosecutors said that the over-medication caused the patient to become lethargic and eventually led to her hospitalization.

“After a lifetime of taking care of their family, working, and contributing to the success of our community, seniors deserve to be treated with dignity and respect,” Leavenworth County Attorney Todd Thompson was quoted as saying by The Kansas City Star.

“We are grateful for the staff to assure this incident was prosecuted,” he added.

In an interview, Reavis admitted to police that she gave the medicine to the woman because the patient was frequently displaying exit-seeking behavior and tried to wander away from the nursing home.

Last year, a nursing home in Illinois was fined over $200,000 by state and federal agencies after a former 61-year-old employee was accused of sexually assaulting a resident with anxiety, physical limitations and a history of brain injury. The nurse was charged with aggravated criminal assault for allegedly performing oral sex on a male patient.