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Many physicians providing treatment to nursing home residents in Illinois request weekly skin assessments to patients who have compromised immune systems or a susceptibility to developing bedsores. These assessments provide the opportunity to discover newly acquired wounds on pressure points over the body including on the back of the head, shoulders, elbows, sacrum, knees, ankles, heels and toes. Unfortunately, not every nursing facility provides a high level of care and follows physician’s orders, which is often to the detriment of the resident’s health and well-being. Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers represent abused residents of Illinois nursing facilities like Casey Health Care Center who have suffered needlessly from facility-acquired bedsores.
Casey Health Care Center
This Center is a ‘for profit’ 69-certified-bed Medicaid/Medicare-accepted facility providing nursing services to residents of Casey and Clark and Cumberland counties. The nursing home is located at:
100 NE. 15th
Casey, IL 62420
(217) 932-5217
As a part of the Peterson Health Care System, Casey Health Care Center provides long-term skilled nursing care, memory care, Alzheimer’s care and the Peterson’s Pathway Rehabilitation Program.
Casey Nursing Home Resident Safety Concerns
The Federal government and Illinois nursing home regulatory agencies routinely update the nursing home database system containing the complete list of all opened investigations, filed complaints, safety concerns, and health violations. This information can be found on numerous websites including Medicare.gov.
Currently, Casey Health Care Center maintains an overall two out of five available star rating in the Medicare star rating summary system compared to all other nursing homes nationwide. This includes four out of five stars for staffing concerns, two out of five stars for health inspections and one out of five stars for quality measures. The Cumberland County nursing home neglect attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers have found serious safety concerns at this facility that include:
- Failure to Provide Weekly Skin Assessments to Detect Any Facility-Acquired Bedsore
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated 01/08/2016, a notation was made by a state surveyor during an annual licensure and certification survey involving the facility's failure to "provide weekly skin assessments and implement pressure-relieving wheelchair for [a resident] reviewed for pressure ulcers.”
The deficient practice was first noted in the investigator’s findings after reviewing a resident’s January 2016 Physician Order Sheet (POS) documenting that the resident had been diagnosed with bilateral lower extremities paraplegia, spina bifida, neurogenic bladder, hydrocephalus with brain shunt, depression, anxiety, psychosis, seizure disorder, and chronic pain.” It was also noted in the Physician Order Sheet (POS) that the “staff [is] to complete weekly skin checks.”
The resident’s 04/18/2015, 06/22/2015, 09/07/2015 and 11/19/2015 skin assessments and risk for pressure ulcers reports documents of the resident “as being at moderate risk for pressure ulcer development.” However, the resident’s monthly TAR (Treatment Administration Record) between 02/16/2015 and 01/05/2016 weekly skin checks “were not completed 18 out of 47 weeks.” The investigator interviewed the facility’s Director of Nursing on 01/07/2016 who stated: “the weekly skin checks should have been done.”
The resident’s 11/23/2015 Physician Progress Note documented that the resident had developed “Stage I pressure sores on areas where the legs are in contact with the armrest of her chair.” An interview with the facility’s Primary Care Physician on 01/07/2016 revealed that the doctor “expected the nursing home to make modifications to her wheelchair to eliminate pressure or find another wheelchair.”
- Failure to Investigate and Report an Incident or Allegation of Abuse
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated 02/05/2015, a state investigator noted a deficient practice during an annual licensure and certification survey concerning the facility's failure to "report an allegation of verbal/mental abuse immediately to the Administrator.” The surveyor also noted the facility’s failure “to thoroughly investigate an allegation of abuse [and a failure] to protect residents from potential further abuse [and a failure] to report to the State Survey and Certification agency. These failures have the potential to affect all 55 residents residing in the facility.”
A review of the facility’s 01/22/2015 Resident Council Minutes documents that “there was one complaint that a nurse (Certified Nurses’ Assistant) is yelling and being rude to a resident.” In an interview with the facility’s Activity Director at noon on 02/03/2015, it was revealed that “during the resident Council meeting… [the resident] allege that a nurse [a Certified Nursing Assistant] was yelling and being rude to her.” The Activities Director stated, “that she did not go immediately to [The Administrator] and report the allegation [...and] stated that after the meeting she spoke to [the resident] about the allegation.”
The investigator noted that the actions by the nursing staff failed to follow the facility’s 11/11/2011 Abuse Prevention Program Facility Policy that reads in part:
“Employees are required to immediately report any occurrences of potential/alleged mistreatment, neglect and abuse of residents…”
Casey Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers
If your spouse, parent or grandparent has been injured or died prematurely while residing at Casey Healthcare Center, call the Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers law firm now. Our Illinois nursing home attorneys can ensure your family receives the financial recompense they deserve for your loved one’s injuries.
We encourage you and your family to contact our Cumberland County elder abuse law office today by calling 888 424-5757 to schedule your appointment for no-obligation case review. We do not ask for any upfront fee or retainer to handle your case to its successful resolution.
Sources:
http://www.petersenhealthcare.net/casey/
http://www.idph.state.il.us/ltc/docs/SurveyResult/6000970FIAK01082016.PDF
http://www.idph.state.il.us/ltc/docs/SurveyResult/6000970FIK02052015.PDF
