The use of physical restraints in Illinois nursing homes is highly regulated by federal and state laws. Because of that, the nursing staff must properly assess and evaluate the resident’s need for physical restraint to control their behaviors or actions and obtain informed consent from the resident/resident’s responsible party prior to its use. Unfortunately, not all nursing homes follow these procedures and protocols, which violates the patient’s rights to their freedom and quality of life. Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC provide legal representation to injured, neglected and abused residents of Illinois skilled nursing homes like Regency Care of Sterling.
Regency Care of Sterling
This Medicaid/Medicare-participating facility is a Nursing Home providing services and cares to residents of Sterling and Whiteside County, Illinois. The 130-certified-bed Nursing Center is located at:
612 West St Mary’s Street
Sterling, IL 61081
(815) 626-9020
This for-profit facility provides skilled nursing care, rehabilitation services, speech/physical and occupational therapies along with outpatient care, respite care and short-term/long-term care.
Sterling Nursing Home Resident Safety Concerns
The state of Illinois and the federal government routinely update their nursing home database system with complete details of all safety concerns, health violations, filed complaints and opened investigations. The search results can be reviewed on many sites like Medicare.gov.
Currently, Regency Care of Sterling maintains an overall five out of five available star rating in the Medicare star rating summary system compared to all other facilities in the United States. This includes five out of five stars for quality measures and four out of five stars for both staffing issues and health inspections. The Whiteside County nursing home neglect attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC have located numerous safety concerns and deficiencies at this nursing facility that include:
- Failure to Follow Procedures and Protocols to Eliminate the Spread of Infection In a summary statement of deficiencies dated 12/09/2015, a notation by a state investigator when performing an annual licensure and certification survey referred to the facility’s failure to “remove their soiled gloves and wash their hands after toileting a resident to prevent the spread of infection.”The deficient practice was first noted in the state investigator’s findings included an observation of two Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA) at 8:45 AM on 12/08/2015 while wheeling a resident into the bathroom. Both CNAs donned gloves and transferred [the resident] from the wheelchair to the toilet.” One Certified Nursing Assistant removed the resident’s “saturated incontinent brief. With the same contaminated gloves, [the CNA] touched multiple surfaces (new brief, [the resident’s] pants, wheelchair, gait belt, and bar next to the toilet).”
The CNA then wiped the resident’s “perineum with washcloths with a smear of stool noted on each washcloth. With the same contaminated gloves, [the CNA] pulled up [the resident’s] pants, touched the gait belt on [the resident], and held the wheelchair handles as [the resident] was transferred to it.”
The state investigator interviewed the facility Administrator on the morning of 12/09/2015 who stated: “the staff knows when they touch something soiled, they immediately are to change their gloves and wash their hands.” The investigator noted that the actions of the nursing staff failed to follow the facility’s undated policy titled: Handwashing Policy that reads in part:
“All staff must wash their hands immediately after coming into contact with each resident and after contact with material which may be contaminated and/or potentially infectious.”
- Failure to Ensure Residents Remain Free of Unauthorized Physical Restraints In a summary statement of deficiencies dated 02/06/2015, a notation was made by a state investigator while performing an annual licensure and certification survey involving the nursing home’s failure to “ensure the resident had a medical indication for the use of bilateral side rails, and [the facility’s failure to] assess and remove a side rail after a resident injury.”The deficient practice involved a severely cognitively impaired resident whose 12/26/2014 MDS (Minimum Data Set) revealed the resident has memory impairment and requires the extensive physical assistance from staff with repositioning in bed, transfers, dressing, toileting and personal hygiene.”
The resident’s 10/02/2014 and 12/26/2014 Side Rail Assessment revealed that the resident “requires the use of bed rails for bed mobility and ADL (activities of daily living) care. Staff to ask the resident to hold onto rail when care as needed. Will assess quarterly for bed rail needed”. The investigator noted that “the medical symptom line was not completed and there were no medical symptoms listed on [the resident’s] side rail risk assessment form.” In addition “there was not [a signed] consent available for the use of the bilateral side rails.”
Sterling Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers
If you suspect your loved one was restrained against their will or suffered a preventable infection while at Regency Care of Sterling, take quick action by calling Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC. Our knowledgeable Sterling attorneys offer legal representation to patients with cases that involve neglect, abuse, and mistreatment happening in Illinois nursing homes.
We urge you to contact our Whiteside County elder abuse law office at (888) 424-5757. Schedule your appointment today to speak with one of our experienced lawyers for your complimentary, comprehensive claim evaluation. There is no need to make an upfront retainer or payment because our nursing home law firm accepts every personal injury claim for compensation through contingency fee agreements.
Sources:
http://regencycaresterling.com/
http://bit.do/RILnursing-Regency-Care-of-Sterling
http://www.idph.state.il.us/ltc/docs/SurveyResult/6011373FIK12092015.PDF
http://www.idph.state.il.us/ltc/docs/SurveyResult/6011373FIK02062015.PDF
http://www.idph.state.il.us/ltc/docs/SurveyResult/6011373FA10152014.PDF
