St. Olaf Residence
This 80-bed nursing home has received a “below average” for its Overall rating and a “much below average” for its Health Inspection Rating, according to Medicare’s annual 2012 inspection. Compared to the average number of annual health deficiencies for Minnesota nursing homes (6.8), St. Olaf Residence was cited with 20 health deficiencies. These deficiencies include St. Olaf Residence’s:
- Failure to keep each resident free form physical restraints, unless needed for medical treatment;
- Failure to develop, write and, employ policies that forbid mistreatment, neglect, and abuse of residents and theft of residents’ property;
- Failure to hire only people with no legal history of abusing, neglecting or mistreating residents, or to report and investigate any acts of abuse, neglect, or mistreatment of residents;
- Failure make sure that each resident’s drug regimen is free from unnecessary drugs, and that each resident’s medication is managed and monitored; and
- Failure to maintain drug records and properly labeled drugs according to accepted professional standards.
Medicare has also identified five separate complaints and incidents associated with St. Olaf Residence, including the facility’s failure to keep the nursing home area free from accident hazards.
In addition, the Minnesota Department of Health has substantiated two reports of nursing home abuse and one report of nursing home neglect:
- In January 2012, MDH substantiated a report of abuse wherein a resident was inappropriately restrained when an employee tied a sheet around him while the resident was in his wheelchair. It was also discovered in the investigation that a discharged resident had also been restrained with a sheet in a similar fashion. [H5387050]
- In July 2012, MDH substantiated a report of neglect wherein a resident overdosed on Vicodin that she had obtained from the facility’s unlocked medication cart. [Report no. H5387052]
- In November 2012, MDH substantiated a report of abuse wherein a resident met a nursing assistant on a pre-arranged visit to a hotel where they had sexual relations. It was determined that the employee picked up the resident’s car, drove the resident to a local hotel where he provided alcohol and proceeded to have sexual intercourse with her. [Report no. H5387054]
The Kosieradzki • Smith Law Firm represents clients in cases involving catastrophic injury caused by nursing homes and other care facilities that fail to provide proper care. If you believe your loved one has been harmed due to a nursing home’s failures, take action and contact the Kosieradzki • Smith Law Firm online or call us toll-free at (877) 552-2873 to set up a no-cost, no-obligation consultation.
