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Nursing home residents can be exposed to abuse, neglect or mistreatment if the facility and Administrator fail to take appropriate action and perform necessary background checks on every newly hired employee. Unfortunately, the Canton elder abuse attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers have represented many residents who have suffered from abuse and mistreatment that could have been prevented had the administration taken appropriate measures to perform a comprehensive background check on every employee.
Heartland of CantonHeartland of Canton is a 90-certified bed Medicare/Medicaid-participating for profit facility providing nursing services to residents of Canton and Fulton County, Illinois. The Heartland/ManorCare Corporation-affiliated facility is located at:
2081 N. Main St.
Canton, Illinois 61520
(309) 647-6135
In addition to short term and long term care, Heartland of Canton provides:
- Post-hospital care for orthopedic injury or replacement
- Stroke care
- Cardiac care
- Complex wound care
- Neuromuscular care
- Oncology care
To ensure Americans have access to the most current information on nursing facilities in the United States, both the federal government and the state of Illinois routinely update their databases to reflect recently filed complaints, safety concerns, health violations and opened investigations on every nursing home in the United States. The updated information can be found on numerous websites including Medicare.gov.
Currently, Heartland of Canton maintains an overall three out of five available star rating in the national star rating summary system. This includes four out of five stars for quality measures and staffing issues and two out of five stars for health concerns. Our Canton Illinois nursing home neglect attorneys have found numerous complaints and safety concerns involving this facility that include:
- Failure to Report and Investigate Any Act or Allegation of Abuse or Mistreatment
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated 03/02/2016, the state investigator noted the facility’s failure “to identify and report an allegation of abuse [involving one resident at the facility] reviewed for abuse The deficient practice by the nursing staff at Heartland of Canton was first noted in the resident’s Nursing Note signed by Registered Nurse at the facility.
The incident was noted to have occurred at 5:03 PM on 12/20/2015 when the resident “had been making false accusations toward another nurse [during] the shift.” The Registered Nurse stated that on 03/02/2016 that a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) was asked to go with them on that evening in December “to witness [the LPN] remove over-the-counter medications observed in [the resident’s] room and to educate [the resident] that over-the-counter medications and supplements have to be reported to the facility so the physician can approve or disapprove.” The Registered Nurse stated that after witnessing the interaction between the resident and the LPN, that the LPN “did not touch or mistreated [the resident], only removed the pills.”
On 03/02/2016, the facility’s Assistant Director of Nursing revealed that they “were unaware of any such incident and denied [of the resident told them that the LPN] had mistreated [the resident].” An interview on the same day with the facility’s Director of Nursing stated that “we don’t report allegations if they are witnessed.” However, the facility’s Administrator said that same morning that “according to policy, all allegations are to be reported to me [the Administrator] immediately. This was not reported.”
- Failure to Conduct Registry Verification to Ensure That Newly-Hired Nursing Aides Have the Required Training and Skills and Meet the State Requirements and Does Not Have a History of Abuse
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated 03/02/2016, the state investigator also noted the facility’s failure to “to verify nurse aide registry information prior to employment for one of one Certified Nursing Assistant with personnel records indicating certification in more than one state.” The investigator noted that the failure by the nursing staff and Administrator at Heartland of Canton “has the potential to affect all 71 residents currently residing in the facility.”
The investigator reviewed the facility’s New Hire Information Forms that stated a Certified Nursing Assistant “Was hired on 01/08/2016. A 10/12/2015 Healthcare Worker Background Check revealed that the CNA “has lived in a neighboring state.” However, in an interview with the facility Administrator 9:40 AM on 03/02/2016 it was revealed that “the neighboring state’s nursing aide registry was not checked for [the CNA].” The facility’s Director of Nursing revealed later that afternoon that the Certified Nursing Assistant “provides direct care for all residents at the facility.”
As a part of the investigation, it was noted that the inaction of the administration failed to follow the facility’s 2012 policy titled Abuse Neglect and Misappropriation of Patient Property Prevention Policy that reads in part:
“The center screens prospective employees to reduce the risk that no one is hired was likely to be patients.”
If your loved one has suffered serious injury or death caused by the abuse of caregivers at any Illinois nursing facility including Heartland of Canton, Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers can provide immediate legal assistance. Our Fulton County elder abuse attorneys can gather evidence to build your case for financial compensation.
To ensure your claim for recompense comes to a successful result, we encourage you to contact our Canton Illinois nursing home abuse law firm today at (888) 424-5757 to discuss your case in a no obligation, free consultation. No upfront fees are required because we accept all personal injury claims on contingency.
http://www.heartland-manorcare.com/CantonIL
