Children returned back to a lead-tainted home after being treated in the hospital for lead poisoning. This error was linked to another Milwaukee Health Department employee.
The I-Team discovered the woman had a history of issues and was suspended this year.
Margo Manassa was written up last September for failing to document a case of lead poisoned twins and allowing the hospital to send them home to a space with more lead hazards. And that's not even what got her suspended.
The I-Team requested Manassa's personnel file. It details her choice to attend a health fair rather than stay in the office and work on urgent reports about lead-poisoned twins. A written warning she received describes her notes on that case as "incomplete, illegible and show[ing] no case management was conducted." That includes educating the parent and managing the children's medical care.
In April 2018 Manassa was suspended because, according to the suspension notice, she "failed to meet the basic job duties" of her role and "failed to follow nursing standards of practice," which she was warned about in 2017.
The notice shows Manassa didn't send retest letters for two other children with elevated blood levels, or document if a letter was sent. For another three children with high lead levels, she didn't assign the case for follow up with a Health Department nurse.
Manassa's suspension lasted five days. She still works at the Health Department.