Missouri Nursing Home Cited in Resident Death
Christian Health Care: Springfield East has been cited with Missouri's most severe noncompliance citation after an investigation into the February 17 death of a resident revealed glaring deficiencies in the care of the deceased resident, as well as other residents.
The deceased resident bgan vomiting a dark foul-smelling substance during the night on February 16, 2008 and continued to be sick through the night. The resident complained of being sick and asked to be transferred from the bed to a wheelchair. At first, the resident's requests were denied, but eventually the resident was assisted into a sitting position in bed. After that, "the resident began to make gurgling sounds as if his/her lungs were filled with fluid". The resident died shortly after 7:00 a.m. on February 17, 2008.
The facility failed to notify the on call physician of the situation and a doctor at the facility who was not on call that weeked said "he would expect staff to notify him if a resident had dark, foul smelling (vomit)". Christian Health Care was also cited for failing to adequately report changes in vital signs and failing "to provide appropriate nursing interventions to address the change in condition" of the deceased resident.
Other deficiencies cited were giving inconsistent insulin dosage to one patient and failing to obtain a urinalysis on a patient who might have had a urinary tract infection.
The facility's ability to receive Medicaid and Medicare payments was revoked in March 2008 and the facility had 23 days to fix serious deficiencies. The facility came into compliance and sanctions were removed on April 15, 2008.
To learn more about what you can do to combat nursing home abuse and neglect, visit our website at www.nursinghomejustice.com .
