Stearnns Nursing and Rehabilitation Center Ratings & Violations

Nursing home regulators within the state of Illinois follow the guidelines of the federal government that require nursing facilities to take appropriate measures any time an event involving abuse or allegation of abuse occurs. This includes fully investigating the incident or suspicion and filing a full report with the appropriate State Agency in a timely manner in accordance with the law. Unfortunately, many Administrators, Directors of Nurses, and other staff members fail to follow protocols and procedures, often to the detriment of the victim. Sadly, the Granite City elder abuse attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC have handled many cases where a resident was physically, mentally or emotionally injured due to the abusive actions of their caregiver.

Stearns Nursing Rehabilitation Center

Stearns Nursing and Rehabilitation Center is a 109-certified bed for profit Medicare-Medicaid-participating nursing facility providing services to residents of Granite City and Madison County, Illinois. The facility is located at:

3900 Stearns Avenue
Granite City, Illinois 62040
(618) 931-3900

In addition to providing short-term rehabilitation and subacute rehabilitation, Stearns Nursing and Rehab Center provides long-term care, pain management, advanced wound care and rehabilitation therapies.

Granite City Nursing Home Resident Safety Concerns

Many families research online information concerning nursing facilities across the United States in an effort to review all of the opened investigations, filed complaints, health violations and safety concerns that are routinely updated on nursing home databases. The information can be found numerous sites Medicare.gov.

Currently, Stearns Nursing and Rehabilitation Center maintains an overall two out of five available star rating in the Medicare star rating summary comparison system. This includes four out of five stars for staffing issues, two out of five stars for quality measures and one out of five stars for health inspections. Our Granite City nursing home neglect attorneys of found numerous complaints and safety concerns involving this facility that include:

• Failure to Report Investigate Any Act or Allegation of Abuse, Neglect or Mistreatment of Residents
  

  In a summary statement of deficiencies dated 11/25/2015, a complaint investigation against the facility was opened for its failure to "thoroughly investigate an allegation of abuse, report the allegation to the Department and [restrict] a Certified Nurses’ Aide (CNA) to have direct contact with residents after potential abuse incident.” The incident involved a resident that “has minimal impairment with cognition making and requires extensive assistance from staff for transfers.” The resident’s 09/17/2015 Care Plan revealed that the resident “requires the use of a mechanical lift for all transfers and that at times makes false accusations.”

  The investigator noted that on 11/22/2015, a resident stated that “at lunchtime, a CNA [Certified Nursing Aide] was real rough and she got me real mad. I thought I was going to fall. She didn’t hurt me. She was rude.” The resident stated that she told another resident about the incident “who told her to reported to [the Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) on duty].” The resident indicated she reported the event to the LPN who stated: “he overheard conversations between [the resident] and her tablemates at lunch on 11/22/2015.” The LPN reported that “he thought the entire incident was taken care of by [another staff member, but when that staff member] continued the medication pass he asked her if the allegation was reported to the Administrator” in that if that nursing staff member failed “to report the alleged abuse of [the resident] he would.”

  The member of the nursing staff called the facility’s Assistant Director of Nursing to file a report and examine the resident “for physical abuse.” However, the nursing staff member said: “it didn’t cross my mind it could be verbal abuse.” Because of that, they reported that they “failed to document the incident and did not interview any other residents or staff related to the allegation from [the resident].” The staff member reported that she could not remember if any part of the incident was documented.”

  In an interview with the facility’s Administrator, it was revealed that she [the Administrator] “did not feel this was abuse and did not report [the resident’s] allegation to the Department” (Illinois Department of Public Health) as required by law. The Administrator also confirmed that “no investigation was initiated and no documentation or interview were completed about the allegation because [the staff handling the situation] didn’t think it was abuse.”

  The investigator also noted the facility’s failure to “operationalize its Abuse Policy by not initiating an investigation of an allegation of abuse, not reporting the allegation to the Department and [continue to allow] a certified nursing aide (CNA) to have direct contact with residents after a potential incident of abuse.” The investigator noted that their actions failed to follow the facility’s August 2014 Abuse Prevention Policy that reads in part:

  “Verbal Abuse: The use of oral, written or gestured language that willfully includes disparaging derogatory terms to residents or the families, or within their hearing distance, regardless of their age, ability comprehend, or disability. The Executive Director shall report any allegations of abuse and neglect… to the Department of Health is required.”

Granite City Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers

If your loved one has been mistreated while residing at any Illinois nursing facility including Stearns Nursing and Rehab Center, Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC can help. Our Madison County elder abuse attorneys can take appropriate measures to ensure you receive the financial compensation you deserve.

Contact our Grant City Illinois nursing home abuse law firm today at (888) 424-5757 for a free no-obligation consultation. No upfront fees are required because all personal injury cases are excepted on contingency.

http://www.stearnsrehabcenter.com/

https://ltc.dph.illinois.gov/webapp/LTCApp/ltc.jsp

https://medicare.gov/