St Pauls House Health Care Center Ratings & Violations

St. Paul’s House & Health Care Center is a Medicare facility that provides independent patient care and assistance to the senior citizens of Cook County,IL. It is a 110 bed facility located at:

St. Paul’s House & Health Care Center
3800 North California Avenue
Chicago, IL 60618 
Website: http://www.lutheranlifecommunities.org/st-pauls-house/

According to the information available in the state nursing home data files, its health care facilities and personnel are equipped to handle patients admitted for the following primary health related problems:

• Alzheimer Disease
• Neoplasms
• Endocrine/Metabolic
• Circulatory System
• Genitourinary System Disorders
• Respiratory System
• Digestive System
• Skin Disorders
• Musculo-Skeletal Disorders
• Nervous System
• Other Medical Conditions

Cases of Unprofessional Patient Care Discovered at St. Paul’s House & Health Care Center

According to data from nursing home surveys conducted by the Illinois Department of Health other private survey agencies, there have been numerous episodes of poor patient care at St. Paul’s House & Health Care Center which can be construed as nursing home negligence. Our nursing home attorneys reviewed data compiled by ProPublica and found the following conditions that can be construed as nursing home negligence:

• Failure to amend the care plan to prevent injury:  “On 12/8/11 at 10:00 AM, observation of R1 found her to have a large fading bruise across her left hand, and a dark blue bruise to her left shin. Further observation found R1 had a large fading dark blue and greenish bruise to her upper torso, under her arms and breasts. On 12/8/11, a Resident Incident Report dated 11/19/11, was presented by E2, Director of Nursing. It documented that R1 had a large bruise to her torso from left mid back, under the left arm, across R1’s breasts and under the right arm. In the report R1 made a statement that “An aide picked me up under my arms and put me in the wheel chair.” The report documented that the bruising occurred when R1 was being transferred to her wheel chair. The Care Plan dated 11/19/11 failed to address R1’s history of [MEDICATION NAME] use and high lab results. The Care Plan failed to documents R1’s risk for additional bruising due to her use of [MEDICATION NAME]. The Care Plan failed to address the bruises sustained during the transfer of 11/19/11, and failed to have interventions to prevent R1 from becoming bruised in the future during a transfer.”

• Failure to treat an infection in a timely manner: “On 12/8/11, a review of R1’s physician’s order [REDACTED].” A review of R1’s Medication Administration Record [REDACTED]. On 12/8/11 at 10:10 AM, E3, Assistant Director of Nursing, ADON, stated “I am responsible for monitoring and ensuring residents wound and skin treatments are being followed as ordered. R1 had developed a fungal infection of her buttocks and had been put on the [MEDICATION NAME] to clear it up.” E3 stated,” I had not been told that R1 was started on the [MEDICATION NAME] on 11/16/11, and have not seen her buttocks. If I (E3) had been told, I would have monitored the condition of R1’s skin and response to treatment weekly. “On 12/8/11 at 11:30 AM, E2, Director of Nursing, DON, stated, “It seems that when R1 ran out of the powder, the nurses did not reorder it.” E1 stated she did not know why no nursing staff had noticed that the orders on the MAR were not being signed off, or questioned if R1 still needed treatment. On 12/8/11 at 11:30 AM, E11 stated she had reached Z5, R1’s physician, and Z5 had ordered the [MEDICATION NAME] Powder to be resumed for 10 days.”

• Failure to assess and treat a resident’s change in condition in a timely manner: “The nurses notes on 11/17/11 failed to identify or document that R15 had any symptoms or complaints of a [MEDICAL CONDITIONS]. From 11/17 to 11/25/11 the nurses notes failed to have any documentation of R15’s condition, or if the urinalysis had been obtained. On 11/26/11, the nurses notes documented that R15 had been straight cathetered for the urine specimen. On 11/29/11, the preliminary laboratory report indicated R15 had Escherichia coli, E-coli, in her urine. On 12/8/11 at 10:30 AM, E2, Director of Nursing, DON, also reviewed the above information and stated she did not realize it had taken nursing staff 10 days to obtain R15’s urine specimen. E2 stated she did not know why from 11/17 through 11/26/11, the nursing staff failed to document whether or not R15 was having symptoms or increased complaints related to her UTI. E2, stated “as part of monitoring R15, for a possible UTI, the nurses notes should have been written and included R15’s condition and symptoms or lack of symptoms.”

• Failure to give appropriate care to residents with gastronomy tubes: “On 12/06/11 at 10:43 AM, E8, Licensed Practical Nurse, (LPN) poured 7.4 ml (milliliter) of [MEDICATION NAME] [MEDICATION NAME] into a plastic medication cup. In another medication cup, E8 placed one tablet of Ocular Vitamin, one [MEDICATION NAME] 40 mg (milligram) tablet, two tablets of 325 mg of [MEDICATION NAME], one tablet of [MEDICATION NAME] 25 mg, and one tablet of [MEDICATION NAME] 10 mg, then crushed the tablets together and returned them to the medication cup. After crushing the medication, E8 poured the crushed medications into the medication cup containing the [MEDICATION NAME], and lightly stirred them together, forming a thick chunky mixture. The chunky solution was too thick to go through the [DEVICE] via gravity, so E8 poured 40 cc of water into the syringe, and moved the syringe in a circular motion in an attempt to mix the medication to allow movement through the tube. The medication mixture would not flow through the [DEVICE], so E8 placed the plunger into the syringe and forced the medication through the [DEVICE]. E8 stated, “I shouldn’t have dumped them in all at once.” E8 poured the remaining medication mixture from the cup into the syringe, followed by 100 cc of water at 10:58 AM, on 12/06/11. E8 confirmed this completed R9’s 200 cc flush as ordered by the physician. E8 removed his gloves and cleaned the graduated cylinder and syringe. E8 reported R9’s 8:00 AM, medication pass for 12/06/11 was completed.”

• Failure to administer medications in a timely manner: “During tour of the facility on 12/06/11 at 9:45 AM, R27 reported she has not received her 8:00 AM medications. E8, Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) was observed in the 300 hall with the medication cart, continuing to pass medications. On 12/06/11, at 10:15 AM, R27 stated, “It’s 10:15 AM. We are just now getting our 8:00 AM medications. I don’t know what happened.” R28 confirmed she just received her 8:00 AM medications after R27. E8 was still passing medication to other residents. On 12/06/11 at 10:25 AM, E8 administered five oral medications to R22. The physician’s order [REDACTED]. On 12/06/11 at 10:43 AM, E8 administered six medications via a gastrostomy tube to R9. The POS for 12/2011 documents the six medications were scheduled to be given at 8:00 AM.
  On 12/06/11 at 11:00 AM, E8 was interviewed related to the lateness of the 8:00 AM medication pass for 300 hall residents. E8 reported he had four more residents to pass medications to before the 8:00 AM medication pass was complete. E8 reported R23, R24, R25, and R26 still had not yet received their medication as of 11:00 AM.”

Professional Nursing Home Attorneys Chicago, IL

Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC is an organization with the reputation of putting families first. Our team of experienced nursing home lawyers has brought the spark back to the eyes of many individuals and families who have had health care issues with different Independent Living Assistance facilities. Most of the lawsuits we have successfully handled fall into the following situations:

• Bed Sores / Pressure Pores
• Dropped Patients
• Fractures
• Poor Medicating Implementation
• Medication Errors
• Physical Abuse
• Patient Wandering
• Repeated Falls
• Wrongful Death

Has your loved one been Hurt due to Negligence? Take the right Steps Now.

If your loved one has been abused or neglected during an admission to St. Paul’s House & Health Care Center, or a different skilled nursing facility in Illinois, you should contact an attorney to determine your legal rights. Our nursing home lawyers have experience getting superior results for all types of cases. Put our team to work for your family and get the results that you deserve. All of our initial consultations are free and we never charge a fee without a recovery for you. Talk to an experienced attorney today (888) 424-5757