Cleveland woman arrested for impersonating nurse, discharging patients
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — A Cleveland woman faces charges after impersonating a nurse and attempting to discharge two elderly patients from Erlanger Hospital.
Lydia Brock (HCSO)
Hamilton County sheriff’s deputies arrested 28-year-old Lydia Kate Brock on Monday. It happened at the Erlanger at 975 East 3rd Street.
According to the sheriff’s office, Brock faces nine charges from the incident.
Brock went to Erlanger Hospital on Sunday for a possible esophagus tear and deep vein thrombosis. According to the affidavit, she claimed to have been coughing up blood.
While at Erlanger, it says Brock entered two elderly patients’ hospital rooms around 7:30 p.m. and attempted to discharge them. She went into an 85-year-old man’s room and told him she was his nurse for the evening. Brock continued to tell the man she was discharging him and removed him from monitoring equipment and removed his IV.
Police said they did not know if she gave the man medicine or drew blood.
Brock then went into the room of a 69-year-old woman and claimed to be her nurse, according to the affidavit. She removed the lady’s monitoring equipment and attempted to remove her IV, but the family stopped Brock. They consequently made Brock leave the room and notified staff of what happened.
According to the affidavit, Brock put these two in grave danger. It continued to say they were in the hospital for mental status and were very sick.
Security staff removed Brock and found an Erlanger badge in her purse. They also found a collection of unidentified pills and syringes, two flushes with blood in them, and empty prescription bottles from different doctors.
Authorities arrested Brock and are charging her with the following:
- Aggravated assault – 2 counts
- Abuse to a vulnerable adult – 2 counts
- Reckless endangerment – 2 counts
- Impersonation of a licensed professional – 2 counts
- Possession of drug paraphernalia.
This is not the first time Brock has had a run-in with police and hospital staff. She was previously a patient at Tennova Hospital, when she drew blood from her own IV and splattered it on her head to claim she fell. At that time, authorities found fentanyl, lidocaine and syringes in her purse.
The affidavit says Brock claimed to be a nurse at Erlanger and forgot to dispose of the medicine during her last shift.
At this time, the hospital is running tests to determine if Brock gave the victims medicine and who the blood in her purse belonged to.
Brock is flagged for doctor shopping; she has used 13 different doctors to obtain prescription pills.
Law enforcement is still investigating this incident.
They are holding her on a $20,000 bond.
