A nurse who admitted botching a standard medical procedure last May at MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institute and potentially exposed dozens of inmates to HIV and other communicable diseases has resigned, according to state and UConn Health Center officials.
In May, dozens of diabetic inmates at the Suffield prison received a letter informing them that a vial of insulin they might have come in contact with was contaminated and asked permission to test them for HIV, Hepatitis B and C.
The NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters have obtained a copy of a joint internal investigation conducted by the state Department of Corrections and UConn. It confirms that a UConn Correctional Managed Health Care nurse stuck a used needle into a vial of insulin, then continued to use that insulin on other inmates.
The internal report also states the nurse was working a double shift when she made the mistake. She has since resigned.
The incident potentially exposed 73 people to HIV and Hepatitis B and C. It came to light when an inmate reported the nurse’s actions to other correctional staff.
The state is continuing to test inmates and none have tested positive for the diseases, according to a UConn spokesperson.
