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Any number of factors in a nursing facility can make the residents sick and susceptible to infections. This could include exposure to contaminants, falling, bedsores and a decreased performance of the nursing staff. Sadly, the Chicago elder abuse attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC have represented many residents who have suffered injury caused by the negligent actions of the nursing facility and caregivers.
By law, the nursing facility has to ensure that every resident remains safe at all times from neglect, mistreatment, abuse, hazards and infections. Unfortunately, because of the tight living quarters, residents are constantly in contact with communicable diseases that spread through various means including touching, drinking, eating, breathing, animals, insect bites and other forms of human contact. It is the duty of the nursing staff to follow procedures and protocols by assessing, reducing, and preventing any potential hazard that could lead to the spread of infection.
The Admiral of the Lake
The Admiral of the Lake Medicare-participating nonprofit corporate continuing care retirement community providing nursing services to residents throughout the Chicago metropolitan area. The facility is located at:
933 W. Foster Ave.
Chicago, Illinois 60640
(773) 654-5121
In addition to providing skilled nursing care, the Admiral at the Lake also provides assisted living options, memory support and rehabilitation services.
Chicago Nursing Home Resident Safety Concerns
On an annual basis, the state of Illinois and the federal government routinely update their nursing home database in an effort to reflect the most currently filed complaints, opened investigations, safety concerns and health violations of every facility in the United States. The updated information is then posted on various websites including the US government’s Medicare.gov site.
Currently, The Admiral on the Lake maintains an overall five out of five rating compared to other facilities nationwide. This includes five out of five stars for staffing issues and quality measures and four out of five stars for health concerns. However, our Chicago nursing home neglect attorneys have found numerous safety concerns involving this facility that include:
- Failure to Develop, Implement, and Enforce Programs That Investigates, Controls and Keeps Infection from Spreading
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated 01/21/2016, the state investigator noted the facility’s failure “to follow current standards of infection control practices by failing to perform hand hygiene during the provision of care, and, failing to label and bag oxygen nasal cannulas. The state surveyor noted that the deficient practice by the nursing staff at The Admiral of the Lake “has the potential to affect three residents at the facility reviewed for infection control.”
One failure was first noted at 10:00 AM on 01/19/2016 when the state surveyor was conducting an initial tour of the facility with the acting Director of Nursing. During the tour, it was revealed that a resident’s “oxygen therapy nasal cannula was on a bag and laying on the floor [...and another resident’s] undated, oxygen therapy nasal cannula was laying on the table.” During this observation, the Acting Director of Nursing stated that “all the respiratory nasal cannulas have to be labeled, bag when in use and should not be laying on the floor, but probably they are not in use.”
The state investigator noted that the deficient practice by the nursing staff failed to follow the facility’s January 2013 revised policy titled Oxygen Administration that reads in part:
“When oxygen is being used continuously or as needed, nurses are responsible to change oxygen tubing, cannula weekly on Sunday night shift.”
The following day, at 12:15 PM on 07/20/2016, the Certified Nursing Assistant was observed providing “incontinent care to [a resident]. At that time, the Certified Nursing Assistant] donned gloves, wiped the bottom (buttocks area) of the resident using cleaning wipes [while going] back and forth into the wipes container three times to get more wipes. Then, [the CNA] removed the gloves [but] did not sanitize or hand wash, donned a new pair of gloves, applied the ointment on the resident’s perineal area, and then pull the incontinent brief up.”
The acting Director of Nursing said that at 9:35 AM the following morning on 07/21/2016 that “everyone comes in contact with the resident has to wash their hands before and after. To prevent the spread of infections.”
- Failure to Store, Cook and Serve Food and Safe and Clean Way
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated 01/21/2015, the state investigator noted the facility’s failure “to implement its policy and procedure regarding handwashing and the facility failed to ensure proper labeling and storing of food items.” The investigator noted that “these deficiencies can potentially affect all 29 residents receiving food from the facility dietary service.”
Chicago Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers
If your loved one was harmed by a facility-acquired infection while residing at The Admiral of the Lake, or any other Illinois nursing facility, Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC can take immediate steps to stop the mistreatment now. Our Cook County elder abuse attorneys have years of experience in handling compensation claims and lawsuits to ensure our clients obtain the highest level of recompense they deserve.
To successfully resolve your financial recompense claim, we urge you to contact our Chicago Illinois nursing home abuse law firm today at (888) 424-5757 to schedule a free, private case consultation. We accept all personal injury claims on contingency so no upfront payment is required.
