immediate supervisor was Linda Byers, a licensed practical nurse and the home's Personal Care Coordinator. Ms. Byers received Practical Nurses' Training from Clearfield Vocational Technical School from which she was graduated in 1975. She also received her LPN in 1975. Ms. Byers' health-care related work experiences include seven (7) years of providing private duty nursing care in individual homes and similar care in Clearfield Hospital in addition to her experience under the employ of Beverly which began in August of 1985 at Haida Manor. Ms. Byers was transferred to defendant's Chateau Hill facility in April of 1986.
On her first day of work, plaintiff was given Beverly's "Employee Handbook" and was instructed to familiarize herself with its provisions.[2] On May 19, 1986, plaintiff signed an Acknowledgement that she receivedresident was breathing more heavily than she had noticed in the past."
Plaintiff states she was told by Linda Byers that Mrs. Calvert's condition "was all in her head." However, plaintiff acknowledges that her conversation with Byers also revealed that Mrs. Calvert's doctor prescribed certain medications, namely three placebos to facilitate the resident's breathing and minimize her discomfort.
Linda Byers' uncontroverted deposition testimony reveals the following history of communications between herself and Mrs. Calvert's treating physician. Between April 26, 1986 and the date Mrs. Calvert was admitted to Mercy Hospital, Byers and/or members of her staff spoke with Dr. Kaczor on six occasions.
On April 28, 1986, Dr. Kaczor was called by a member of defendant's staff, other than plaintiff, concerning Mrs. Calvert's apprehension about being in the home. In response