IDPH has cited and fined Generations at Rock Island nursing home after an inspection there found that two residents were not receiving treatment for bed sores as ordered.
Bed sores are a major issue in the nursing home industry. Once a resident develops a bed sore, whether it started in the nursing home or not, the nursing home is obligated by federal regulations to provide care, treatment, and services necessary to promote healing, prevent infection, and prevent new bed sores from developing. When the nursing home fails to provide the care that is ordered to treat bed sores, it leaves the resident in need of care vulnerable to further decline of the wound, the onset of infections like cellulitis and osteomyelitis, and other complications. These things can spiral out of control and result in the wrongful death of the nursing home resident.
This of course underlines the importance of providing care as ordered. And this citation shows that the nursing home failed these two residents.
The first resident had multiple bed sores, including on her coccyx and right ischium. The orders in place called for daily cleansing of the wound and application of dressings and a foam. During the period between February 1 and March 22, the nursing home staff failed to provide care on 27 days. For those keeping score at home, that is just over 50% of the time that the resident did not receive the care ordered. The weekly wound reports, skin assessments, and shower sheets that were to have been completed by the nursing home during that period were not completed. When confronted by the surveyor, the facility Director of Nursing admitted that the wound care was not being provided as ordered and that the documentation and reporting was not being done either.
The second resident has a single stage 4 pressure ulcer on the left ischium. The wound measured 1.0 x 0.3 x 0.5 cm with no tunneling or undermining. The wound care orders included packing the wound with Medihoney, use of a barrier cream, and giving nutritional supplements. The Director of Nursing also verified to the surveyor that during the month of February, the treatments were not provided on 12 out of 28 days in February, the barrier cream was not being used, and the nutritional supplements were not being given. At the time the inspection was completed by the state that same wound was now 5.0 x 3.0 x 2.0 cm with three separate areas of tunneling under the wound. This represents a substantial decline in the condition the wound.
We know that the treatments for these wounds were not being provided as ordered – the DON admitted that. The real question is why, and the answer to that likely lies in understaffing of the nursing home. Understaffing is a key component of the nursing home business model. One of our core beliefs is that nursing homes are built to fail due to the business model they follow and that unnecessary accidental injuries and wrongful deaths of nursing home residents are the inevitable result. Order our FREE report, Built to Fail, to learn more about why. Our experienced Chicago nursing home lawyers are ready to help you understand what happened, why, and what your rights are. Contact us to get the help you need.
Other blog posts of interest:
Transport van accident at Generations at Rock Island
Resident develops bed sores to both knees at Royal Oaks Care Center in Kewanee
St. Anthony’s resident undergoes surgery for bed sore
Failure to notify doctor of bed sore at Aperion of Moline
Maggots found in bed sore at Manor Court of Clinton
St. Anthony’s fails to treat resident’s pain during wound care
Click here to file a complaint about a nursing home with the Illinois Department of Public Health.
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