Every incident of nursing home abuse, whether it is an allegation or has been witnessed, must be reported to the Administrator and the State Agency. Failure to do so has the potential to jeopardize the health and well-being of the victim. Because of that, the nursing staff must be properly trained on how to report the incident to their supervisor in a timely manner. Unfortunately, many nursing facilities failed to adequately train their nursing staff and following abuse policies. The elder abuse attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC provide legal advice, counsel, and representation to individuals who have been abused at Illinois nursing homes like DuQuoin Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.
DuQuoin Nursing and Rehabilitation Center
This facility is a ‘for profit’ 74-certified-bed nursing home providing cares and services to residents of Du Quoin and Perry County, Illinois. The Medicare/Medicaid-approved Center is located at:
514 East Jackson St
Du Quoin, Il 62832
(618) 542-4731
In addition to offering skilled nursing care 24/7, the facility also offers physical, occupational and speech therapies.
DuQuoin Nursing Home Resident Safety Concerns
Families can visit Medicare.gov to obtain a complete rhistorical list of all safety concerns, health violations, filed complaints and opened investigations of every facility nationwide. The information can be used to determine the level of health and hygiene care every community nursing home provides its residents.
Currently, Du Quoin Nursing and Rehabilitation Center maintains an overall four out of five available star rating in the nationwide Medicare summary comparison analysis system. This includes four out of five stars for health inspections in two out of five stars for quality measures. The Perry County nursing home neglect attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC have found numerous safety concerns, violations and deficiencies at this nursing facility that include:
- Failure to Provide Every Resident an Environment Free of Accident Hazards and Provide Adequate Supervision to Avoid Injury
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated 06/18/2015, a notation was made during an annual licensure and certification survey by a state investigator concerning the facility's failure to "implement safety precautions to prevent falls.” The deficient practice involved a resident found sitting on the floor in her room in front of her wheelchair at 4:45 PM on 11/07/2015. The state investigator noted that the report notes of the incident “initiated the following intervention: “Grippy (non-skip fabric) applied to the wheelchair to prevent sliding.”
The investigator reviewed the facility’s 7:10 PM 12/31/2014 Occurrence Report that noted: “Apply (lap device) until a self-releasing belt is available.” The resident’s 12/31/2014 Care Plan included in update “with an intervention "self-releasing belt with alarm” to prevent [the resident’s] from falling out of her wheelchair.
The state investigator asked the facility’s Director of Nurses “whether the nonslip fabric or the self-releasing seat belt was in place at the time of the fall on 03/03/2003.” The Director stated that “she did not know about the fabric, but the seat belt had not been in place. When asked why therapy staff and [other members of the nursing team] did not apply the safety devices, [the Director] stated that they were unaware that [the resident] required them."
- Failure to Investigate and Report an Allegation or Incident of Abuse
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated 05/23/2014, a notation was made by a state investigator concerning the facility's failure to "ensure that an allegation of abuse was reported to the Administrator in a timely manner.”
The deficient practice was first noted in investigator’s findings that included a 09/03/2013 signed statement by a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) who “reported that on 09/01/2013, [another Certified Nursing Assistant] told her that ‘a few nights’ previously [a different CNA] had grabbed [the resident’s] hand and caused a skin tear, and then ‘smacked’ the resident on the back of the head.”
As a part of the facility’s 09/10/2013 Final Investigation, the CNA “reported the allegation to the Administrator at 10:00 AM on 09/03/2013.” The Administrator counseled the reporting CNA and the other CNA “for failing to report [the incident] to the Administrator immediately and suspended [the alleged perpetrator] for the duration of the investigation.”
- Failure to Develop, Implement and Enforce Abuse Policies
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated 05/23/2014, the state investigator noted the facility’s failure “to ensure the facility abuse prevention policies included provisions for immediate notification of allegations to the Administrator and the State Survey Agency and provisions specific to reporting required in situations involving a crime and [a failure] to ensure timely reporting of an allegation of abuse.”
Du Quoin Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers
If your spouse, parent or grandparent has suffered injury or harm while a patient at DuQuoin Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, call the Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC law offices now. Our Illinois skilled attorneys have years of experience in representing victims of mistreatment, neglect, and abuse.
We encourage you to contact our Perry County elder abuse law offices by calling (888) 424-5757 today to schedule your no-obligation case evaluation at no charge to you. In addition, no upfront retainers or fees are required because we accept every wrongful death lawsuit, personal injury case and nursing home abuse/neglect claim for compensation on contingency. This means we are paid for our fees only after we have negotiated an out of court settlement on your behalf or have won your case at trial.
Sources:
http://bit.do/RILnursingDuQuoinNursing
http://www.idph.state.il.us/ltc/docs/SurveyResult/6002943FIK06182015.PDF
http://www.idph.state.il.us/ltc/docs/SurveyResult/6002943FIK05232014.PDF
- Failure to Develop, Implement and Enforce Abuse Policies