The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has completed its investigation of neglect concerns at the Angels Care Center, a nursing home in Cannon Falls, Minnesota. Two complaints were filed with the MDH alleging that neglect occurred when staff failed to provide the resident Coumadin for three weeks resulting in several blood clots, which required three surgeries.
The MDH investigated the matter and found that neglect occurred when the resident did not receive the prescribed anticoagulant (Coumadin.) The resident’s physician ordered Coumadin, but staff members failed to provide the ordered medication for twelve days. On the 13th day, the resident complained of arm and leg pain. The resident was hospitalized with blood clots and needed emergent surgery for removal of the clots.
The MDH determined that the facility is responsible for neglect of the facility’s resident. [Case nos. H5304025 & H530524]
This is not the first investigation of Angels Care Center by the MDH. In 2014, the MDH found that neglect occurred when a resident was not provided with adequate interventions to prevent falls, a timely medical evaluation after a fall, adequate pain management and adequate assistance with eating [Case no. H5304019]
Medicare rates nursing homes, including this 74-bed nursing home facility. Medicare assigned an overall rating to Angels Care Center as a “much below average” facility. In addition, Medicare has assigned a rating to Angels Care Center as a “much below average” facility based on the government’s health inspections of the facility. According to Medicare’s most recent annual inspection, Angels Care Center was cited by the government for 21 separate health deficiencies (significantly higher than the state average of 6.6 deficiencies for Minnesota nursing homes). Medicare has issued deficiency citations to Angels Care Center for this nursing home.
U.S. News & World Report HEALTH published an article highlighting the Medicare health rating of Angels Care Center. The surprise health inspection on November 12, 2014 found five deficiency citations for Angels Care Center:
Failure to ensure that residents are safe from serious medication errors.
- Failure to have a program that investigates, controls and keeps infection from spreading.
- Failure to give proper treatment to residents with feeding tubes to prevent problems (such as aspiration pneumonia, diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration, metabolic abnormalities, nasal-pharyngeal ulcers) and help restore eating skills, if possible.
- Failure to develop and implement policies for 1) screening and training employees; and the 2) prevention, identification, investigation, and reporting of any mistreatment, neglect, or abuse of residents or theft of resident property.
- Failure to 1) hire people with no legal history of abusing, neglecting or mistreating residents; or 2) report and investigate any acts or reports of abuse, neglect or mistreatment of residents.
One month later, on December 12, 2014, the health inspectors re-visited Angels Care Center to note any changes, in which there were an additional fifteen deficiency citations:
- Failure to provide care by qualified persons according to each resident’s written plan of care.
- Failure to provide necessary care and services to maintain the highest well being of each resident.
- Failure to give residents proper treatment to prevent new bed (pressure) sores or heal existing bed sores.
- Failure to make sure that each resident who enters the nursing home without a catheter is not given a catheter, and receive proper services to prevent urinary tract infections and restore normal bladder function.
- Failure to make sure that each resident gets a nutritional and well balanced diet, unless it is not possible to do so.
- Failure to have enough nurses to care for every resident in a way that maximizes the resident’s well being.
- Failure to conduct initial and periodic assessments of each resident’s functional capacity.
- Failure to make sure each resident receives an accurate assessment by a qualified health professional.
- Failure to develop a complete care plan that meets all of a resident’s needs, with timetables and actions that can be measured.
- Failure to allow the resident the right to participate in the planning or revision of the resident’s care plan.
- Failure to listen to the resident or family groups or act on their complaints or suggestions.
- Failure to hire a qualified dietician.
- Failure to prepare food that is nutritional, appetizing, tasty, attractive, well-cooked, and at the right temperature.
- Failure to 1) make sure that each resident’s drug regimen is free from unnecessary drugs; 2) each resident’s entire drug/medication is managed and monitored to achieve highest well being.
- Failure to at least once a month, have a licensed pharmacist review each resident’s medication(s) and report any irregularities to the attending doctor.
- Failure to post nurse staffing information/data on a daily basis.
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 neglect or abuse in a nursing home or other care facility, 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.
