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The spread of infection in nursing facilities is a common occurrence that represents the major cause of serious injuries and wrongful death of many of its residents. The spread of infection can easily cause an immediate decline in a resident’s health due to their weakened immune system or other age-related medical conditions. Unfortunately, the Henry elder abuse attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers have seen unnecessary urinary tract infections, bacterial pneumonia, skin infections, bedsores and gastrointestinal infections.
The spread of infection can easily occur in nursing facilities due to the resident’s living tightly in a confined environment and their participation in group activities. Often times, the resident lacks the capacity to perform their own basic hygiene due to cognitive or physical impairments. If the nursing staff fails to follow all necessary hygiene/sanitary procedures and protocols, the health and well-being of the resident can be in immediate jeopardy.
The most common reasons for the spread of infection in a nursing facility is inadequately trained staff, overcrowded/minimum staff conditions or lack of training and proven infection control methods. Often times, nursing facilities have minimal resources, expertise, personnel, supportive services or diagnostic tools compared to a hospital environment.
Heartland of HenryHeartland of Henry is a 68-certified bed Medicaid/Medicare-participating facility providing nursing services to residents of Henry and Henry County, Illinois. The for-profit Heartland/ManorCare Corporation-affiliated Center is located at:
1650 Indian Town Road
Henry, Illinois 61537
(309) 364-3905
Heartland of Henry offers:
- Independent living
- Assisted living
- Cardiac rehabilitation
- Pulmonary rehabilitation
- Dementia care
- Orthopedic injury or replacement therapy
- Cancer care
- Stroke care
- Physical, occupational, speech/language therapies
In an effort to keep information on nursing facilities throughout the United States current, both the federal government and the state of Illinois routinely update their databases. The updated information is then posted on numerous websites including Medicare.gov.
Currently, Heartland of Henry maintains an overall five out of five available star rating through the national star rating summary system. This includes five out of five stars for quality measures, staffing issues and health concerns. However, our Henry nursing home neglect attorneys have found a serious deficiency involving this facility that includes:
- Failure to Develop, Implement, and Enforce Programs and Investigate, Control to Keep Infections from Spreading
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated 06/19/2015, a notation was made during an annual licensure and certification survey by a state investigator concerning the facility's failure to "prevent cross-contamination during incontinence care for [a resident at the facility] reviewed for catheter care.” The deficient practice by the nursing staff at Heartland of Henry was first documented at 1:10 PM on 06/16/2015 when two Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) assisted a resident “by wheelchair into the bathroom to perform incontinence care.” The Certified Nursing Assistant use of mechanical lift to transfer the resident to the toilet while lowering the resident’s “pants, removed [their] soiled incontinence brief” one Certified Nursing Assistant “with the same gloves, touched [the resident’s] pants, shirt, arm, hands and hair [before cleansing] stool from [the resident’s] rectal area.” The Certified Nursing Assistant then “apply to clean incontinence brief and pulled [the resident’s] pants up before removing the gloves. Then without performing hand hygiene, [the CNA] touched [the resident’s] arm and shirt.”
In a separate incident, an observation was made of a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) and a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) at 1:55 PM on 06/18/2015 performing catheter care on a resident. The Certified Nursing Assistant “cleansed [the resident’s] penis and urinary catheter with a washcloth and dried area with a towel.” The CNA then “rolled dirty washcloths into the towel and held [them with their] right hand. With the same left glove, [the CNA touch the resident’s] hand, gown, bed linens, right leg, call light, bed control and bedside table.”
The state investigator interviewed the facility’s Director of Nursing that same day at 3:45 PM who stated: “that after staff provides incontinence care, they should remove gloves and wash hands prior to finishing resident cares.” The Director also stated that they “would expect the staff to wear gloves when providing catheter cares.” The investigator noted that the actions of the nursing staff failed to follow the facility’s August 2014 policy titled Incontinence Care and the facility’s December 2009 policy titled Gloves: Non-sterile/Sterile that read in part:
“Staff to remove and discard gloves and perform hand hygiene prior to [applying] clean linen or brief.”
“To protect staff when directly touching or handling items or surfaces soiled with blood, body fluids containing blood, semen, vaginally secretions, mucous membranes or non-intact skin and to protect residents from infection.”
If you, or your loved one, have suffered injury from a preventable infection while residing at Heartland of Henry or any other nursing facility in Illinois, Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers can take immediate steps to intervene and stop the unacceptable actions of the nursing home now. Our Henry County elder abuse attorneys have handled cases that involve abuse and neglect and accept cases through contingency fee agreements. This means we provide immediate legal services without the need for an upfront payment.
To successfully resolve your case for financial compensation, we encourage you to contact our Henry Illinois nursing home abuse law firm at (888) 424-5757 today. By scheduling your appointment, we can provide you various legal options on how to proceed.
http://www.heartland-manorcare.com/Henry
