On January 3, 2011 the Minnesota Department of Health revised an investigative report on a substantiated claim of neglect on the part of Red Wing Health Center. [Report no H5223045]
The neglect occurred when the facility failed to respond to one of its resident’s decline in health. From the middle of June 2010 to the time the resident was hospitalized on July 10th, the Red Wing Health Center staff collected and documented information pertaining to the resident’s decline in health. This information included data on “Food and Fluid Records”, “24 Hour Nursing/Change of Condition” reports, and in facility “Progress Notes.”
All of the information revealed an on going significant decreased nutritious intake and severe decline in the resident’s physical health. However, the facility failed to respond and address the change in the resident’s health. Red Wing Health Center did not attempt any sort of intervention to decrease the resident’s decline in health. Additionally, neither the resident’s physician nor the clinical dietician was notified of the resident’s change in health.
As a result of the facility’s inaction, the resident’s opportunity for nutritional and medical evaluation and treatment were delayed. On July 10, 2010, the resident was admitted to the hospital and diagnosed with Wegner’s granulomatosis (an uncommon disorder which causes inflammation of the blood vessels, which in turn restricts blood flow to various organs).
The MDH found that the Red Wing Health Center’s staff were aware of the resident’s on-going decline and failed to respond or address the patient’s decline in condition, failed to offer on-going interventions to decrease the resident’s risk of further decline, and failed to notify the dietician and the physician of the on-going decline.
This is not the first investigation of the Red Wing Health Center by the MDH. Here are three other investigations in which the MDH substantiated a finding of neglect:
- In April 2012, the MDH found that the facility’s resident was neglected when he sustained a fall after being placed in a wheelchair that did not have a pressure alarm or a self-release seat belt. The resident had dementia and required total assistance from the Red Wing Health Center staff. The MDH found that the facility failed to have a system in place to mark or identify resident specific wheelchairs. [Case no. H5223057]
- In March 2012, the MDH investigated an allegation that a resident with pneumonia did not receive her antibiodics prescribed by her physician because the nursing home’s staff failed to transcribe the medication order properly. The resident died. The Medical Examiner determined that the cause of her death bronchopneumonia and COPD. The MDH found that Red Wing Health Center’s policies and procedures did not provide an effective system related to transcribing orders into the computer with stop dates, notifying appropriate persons when a medication is not available, reviewing new orders for compliance/implementation and completing audits of all antibiodic orders/stop dates and that the antibiodics are being ordered. [Case no. H5223060]
- In September 2011, the MDH investigated an allegation that the facility’s resident fell and suffered a traumatic femur fracture when being transferred from her wheelchair into bed by the care staff. The care staff, however, failed to use the mechanical lift that was required by the resident’s care plan. [Case no. H5223052]
The Kosieradzki • Smith Law Firm represents clients in cases involving catastrophic injury caused by nursing homes that fail to provide proper care. If you believe that you or your loved one has suffered serious harm because the nursing home failed to do its job, 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.
