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The nursing staff members at every Illinois nursing home are required to notify the physician of any change in a patient’s condition to ensure they receive a high level of appropriate medical care. Unfortunately, not every facility follows the established procedures and protocols in making notifications immediately. As a result, many residents suffer serious injury or decline in their health that could have been prevented had their caregivers taken appropriate measures. The elder abuse attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers provide legal services to abused, injured or mistreated patients residing at Illinois nursing facilities including Burnsides Community Health Center.
This Center is a 95-certified-bed ‘not-for-profit’ Medicaid/Medicare-participating facility providing nursing services to residents of Marshall and Clark County, Illinois. The nursing home is located at:
410 N. Second St.
Marshall, IL 62441
(217) 826-2358
The facility provides long-term and short-term skilled nursing care along with respite care, hospice care, occupational, physical and speech therapies, wound care, and IV therapy.
Marshall Nursing Home Resident Safety ConcernsA complete list of opened investigations, filed complaints, safety concerns and health violations at nursing homes can be found on numerous websites including Medicare.gov. Many families use this data for a comprehensive understanding of the level of care every nursing facility provides in their community.
Currently, Burnsides Community Health Center maintains an overall three out of five available star rating in the nationwide comparison analysis Medicare star rating summary system. This includes four out of five stars for staffing concerns, three out of five stars for quality measures and two out of five stars for health inspections. The Clark County nursing home neglect attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers have found serious deficiencies and safety concerns at this facility that include:
- Failure to Obtain an Informed Consent for the Increase of a Psychotropic Medication
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated 04/21/2016, a complaint investigation was opened against the facility for its failure to "obtain a documented informed consent for the use of psychotropic medication.” The deficient practice by the nursing staff at Burnside Community Health Center affected one resident at the facility.
The state investigator noted that upon review of the resident’s 02/23/2016 Physician Order Sheet (POS), the resident was diagnosed with “dementia without behavioral disturbance, major depressive disorder, and anxiety.” The physician’s orders document an increase in Ativan taken by mouth three times a day.
The state investigator interviewed the facility’s Director of Nursing at 2:00 PM on 04/20/2016 who stated “I have looked and looked and cannot find [the resident’s] documented consent for the increased dose of Ativan to three times a day. Apparently, we do not have a consent for that increase. Yes, we should have gotten at when it (Ativan) was increased.”
The investigator noted the facility’s failure to follow their October 2007 policy titled: Psychopharmacological Drug Management Program that reads in part:
“Informed consent is to be obtained prior to administering the medication for the first time, or before a newly changed order is administered.”
- Failure to Notify Resident’s Physician of a Change in Their Condition Including a Decline in Their Health or Injury
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated 04/21/2016, a notation was made by a state investigator during an annual licensure and certification survey concerning the facility's failure to "notify and consult with a physician for [two residents at the facility] reviewed for change in condition.”
One failure involved a resident at the facility diagnosed with atrial fibrillation with long-term use of anticoagulant therapy, history of falls, history of basal cell carcinoma of the face and dementia without behavioral disturbance.” The resident’s 2:24 PM, 01/21/2016 Nurse Progress Note indicates of the resident “has a large knot/hematoma to the right bridge of the nose, purple in color. The Director of Nursing aware. Doctor’s office faxed with a request for [the resident] to be seen as early as possible.”
A few minutes later, the Director of Nursing stated “I was told about the bump. It didn’t look like an injury to me, but we are not sure how it occurred or what caused it. We made a doctor’s appointment to have it looked at…”
The investigator noted that the documentation in the resident’s “medical record was not completed with a fax or an appointment schedule regarding [the resident’s] change in condition.” It was determined that the action by the nursing staff failed to follow the facility’s policy titled: Change in Condition: When to Report to the MD that reads in part:
“Immediate notification of any symptom, sign or apparent discomfort that is sudden and onset, a marked change in relation to usual symptoms and signs…”
If you suspect your loved one is being neglected while residing at Burnsides Community Health Center, call the Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers law offices now. Our Marshall nursing home attorneys can legally intervene on your family’s behalf to ensure that your loved one’s medicine, health and hygiene needs are met. In addition, our law firm can handle the entire process of obtaining the financial recompense your family deserves for your damages.
Schedule your free, no obligation full case review today by calling our Clark County elder abuse law offices at 888 424-5757. No upfront fees are required because we accept all nursing home abuse cases through contingency agreements.
Sources:
http://bit.do/RILnursingBurnsides
http://www.heritageofcare.com/marshall-our-services.html
http://www.idph.state.il.us/ltc/docs/SurveyResult/6001291FA04212016.PDF
