A nursing home has been fined after four of its residents tested positive for cocaine.
RegalCare in New Haven, Connecticut, was slapped with a $1,680 fine after it was discovered that the group of residents had tested positive for the dug.
According to the state's Department of Public Health (DPH), the case dates back to last April last year when one of the centre's resident tested positive after they were seen handing a dollar bill with white powder on it to another person.
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The resident who was handed the dollar bill had an opioid dependency and also tested positive for cocaine.
A doctor later ordered for room searches every day for the next three days. However, the individuals' rooms were reportedly only searched 4 May and 5 May and 4 May and 6 May, respectively.
The DPH also stated that on 12 May 12 last year, another resident was found lying on a floor with a large hematoma and was unresponsive for two minutes. They later tested positive for the same drug.
Then just a few days later, the facility received a phone call from a methadone clinic forming them that another resident tested positive for cocaine.
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When asked how they came to be in contact with the substance, the resident said they had been given it by another resident, who had gotten it from a nurse aide.
According to reports, the nurse aide was later fired.
But this isn't the only case of malpractice at care homes in the United States in recent months - three centres across the state have been reprimanded.
St. Camillus Center in Stamford was fined also $6,420 after a resident at risk for skin breakdown was found to have stage two and stage three pressure ulcers on their heels on 30 May, the Department of Health has stated.
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A spokesperson for the care home said they have now taken measures to make sure another incident like this doesn't happen again in the future.
They said: "St. Camillus Center is committed to providing high-quality care to our patients and residents.
"Unfortunately, we did receive a citation from the Department of Public Health earlier this year. Since that time, we provided additional staff education and training, and submitted a plan of correction to the state. At this time, we are in compliance with state and federal regulations."
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And Mystic Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center was also fined $7,340 for a number of violations.
One of its residents who suffered from psychosis and anxiety had 14 unwitnessed falls between March last year and January this. As a result of the falls, they suffered several injuries including a fractured leg.
Another resident at the home also developed a facility-acquired stage two pressure ulcer on their coccyx in February.
And in November last year, nurse aides failed to make a report after one resident got their leg trapped under a Hoyer lift during a transfer, suffering a broken hip.
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