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It is often extremely challenging for family members to watch their loved one in the final stages of their life when a change in their quality of life rapidly declines. Without proper health and hygiene care, it is easy for many of the elderly to pass away too early. Unfortunately, the elder abuse attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers have represented many families who have lost a loved one unnecessarily through the neglectful actions of their caregivers.
Family members often place loved ones in nursing facilities expecting them to receive the highest level of compassionate, professional care. However, this does not always happen. Even though nursing facilities have a responsibility to ensure the safety and well-being of its residents by providing adequate treatment, care, and supervision, even a simple misstep by the nursing staff can cause the loved one’s health to decline.
To ensure a loved one’s health, it is important for family members and friends to maintain close contact and visit the nursing facility frequently. Through constant communication with the nursing staff, families can ensure that their loved one does not fall victim to neglect, abuse or mistreatment.
Presence Nazarethville
Presence Nazarethville is a 65-certified non-profit facility that participates in Medicaid. They provide nursing services to residents of Des Plaines and Cook County. The center is located at:
300 N. River Rd.
Des Plaines, Illinois 60016
(847) 297-5900
Part of the Presence Life Connections, Presence Nazarethville offer independent living, assisted living, short stay rehab, memory care, skilled nursing, hospice and adult day care.
Des Plaines Nursing Home Resident Safety Concerns
On an annual basis, the federal government nursing home regulatory agencies routinely update nursing home information as a comparative tool for families interested in reviewing opened investigations, filed complaints, safety concerns and health violations at nursing facilities nationwide. Currently, Presence Nazarethville maintains an overall five out of five available star rating when compared to other nursing homes in the United States. This includes five out of five stars for quality measures and health concerns and three out of five stars for staffing issues.
However, our Des Plaines nursing home neglect attorneys have found a deficiency concerning this facility that involves:
- Failure to Provide Necessary Care and Services to Maintain the Highest Well-Being of Every Resident
In a statement summary of deficiencies dated 11/12/2015, a notation was made during an annual licensure and certification survey by a state investigator concerning the facility's failure to "ensure that staff performs assessments of bowel patterns, [and a failure] to notify physician regarding a change in condition.” Additionally, the state investigator noted the facility’s failure “to administer as needed medications when a resident did not have a bowel movement and failed to document the effectiveness of the laxatives.” The deficient practice by the nursing staff at Presence Nazarethville affected one resident at the facility.
The failure was first noted in a resident’s MDS (Minimum Data Set) revealing that the resident “requires two-person extensive assist for transfers [...and] a Physician Order Sheet (POS) document” ordering a laxative. The resident’s Bowel Movement/Consistency Roster notes the resident’s “bowel pattern for September 2015 and October 2015” providing time frames when the resident “did not have a bowel movement (BM).”
During a timeframe between 09/06/2015 and 09/09/2015, the resident was given suppositories but “did not have a bowel movement until 09/10/2015.” The state investigator noted that the resident’s September 2015 in October 2015 MAR (Medication Administration Record) “indicates that staff was not evaluating the effectiveness of [the resident’s laxative] suppository.” The investigator noted that the resident’s “irregular bowel pattern and constipation are not addressed in her Departmental Notes dated August 2015 through October 2015.”
The state investigator conducted an interview with the facility’s Director of Nursing on 11/10/2015 who indicated that “the facility does not have a policy regarding assessments of bowel patterns [...and that] the nurses are trained to call the doctor if the residents aren’t having regular bowel movements.”
However, the investigator noted that the deficient practice failed to follow the facility’s 03/24/2015 policy titled: Notification of Change in Patient’s/Resident’s Condition that reads in part:
“Procedure: The charge nurse shall be responsible for notifying the attending physician and the resident’s responsible family members or legal representatives when a change occurs in the resident’s condition. These changes shall include significant changes in physical, mental or psychosocial status as well as any accident that results in injury.”
Des Plaines Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers
If your loved one has suffered neglect, abuse or mistreatment while residing at Presence Nazarethville or any other Illinois nursing facility, do not hesitate to contact Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers at (888) 424-5757. Our Des Plaines elder abuse attorneys can arrange a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss the merits of your financial claim.
We accept all nursing home neglect cases, wrongful death lawsuits and personal injury claims for compensation through contingency fee arrangement. This means that all of our legal fees are paid only after we negotiate your acceptable out of court settlement or successfully resolve your case in front of a judge and jury in a lawsuit trial. All information you share with our law offices remains confidential.
http://www.presencehealth.org/presence-nazarethville-des-plaines-skilled-nursing-care
