Two Nursing Homes Fined Following Resident’s Injury, Medication Error

Print More

State health officials fined two nursing homes following incidents in which residents were injured and suffered complications after doctors’ orders were not followed.

Apple Rehabilitation of Middletown was fined $1,635 by the state Department of Public Health (DPH) following an incident December in which a resident chewed an index finger until bone was exposed.

The resident had osteoporosis and dementia, and a care plan noted that the resident had a habit of chewing the right index finger, according to DPH. On Nov. 30, 2015, a physician directed staff to keep the resident’s right hand covered with a sock to prevent chewing.

On Dec. 16, the resident was found with the right index finger in the mouth and blood “all over” the face, according to the citation. The index finger’s bone was exposed, the citation said.

The injury was treated with an antibiotic cream, cleaned with saline, wrapped, and covered with a sock, DPH said.

An investigation found there were multiple occasions, including on Dec. 16, when the resident’s hand was not covered with a sock as stipulated in the physician’s orders. The physician’s orders were missing from the resident’s clinical record on Nov. 30, according to DPH.

Apple Rehabilitation did not return a call seeking comment.

Sheriden Woods Health Care Center in Bristol was fined $1,740 for failing to monitor a resident’s blood sugar and administer medication as ordered.

On Aug. 12, 2015, a diabetic resident receiving hospice care at the facility had several high blood sugar readings between 2:38 and 6:20 p.m., according to the citation. Soon after, the resident’s family asked that the resident be transferred to a local emergency department.

According to DPH, the resident—who also had colon cancer, dementia and congestive heart failure—was diagnosed at the emergency department with diabetic ketoacidosis. The condition is a diabetes complication that occurs when the body produces high levels of acids called ketones; it can result in a diabetic coma or death.

In speaking with staff and reviewing clinical records, DPH found that staff failed to obtain the resident’s blood sugar readings as prescribed from the afternoon of Aug. 10, 2015, until the afternoon of Aug. 12, 2015.

Staff also failed to administer the resident’s insulin medication as ordered between 11:53 a.m. on Aug. 10, 2015, and 3 p.m. on Aug. 12, 2015, according to the citation.

Officials at the Bristol facility did not return a call seeking comment.

5 thoughts on “Two Nursing Homes Fined Following Resident’s Injury, Medication Error

  1. These fines are nothing more than ridiculous. They’re not even equivalent to a slap on the hand. These facilities are not “health care” facilities, they are merely places built to suck the hard earned money from your savings under the guise of providing care for your aged loved ones. Our country is known to be the absolute worst for providing care to our seniors. All over the world, seniors are revered for their knowledge and wisdom. In the United States, families just wait for ‘grandma’ and ‘grandpa’ to pass on so they can circle like the vultures in the sky to latch on to whatever wealth may be left behind. It really is very sad. If we are going to fix the way our elders are cared for, we must first fix ourselves and the way we look at the elderly. Shame on these facilities and their administrations. After all – it is the administrations that make and enforce the guidelines that the staff must adhere to, and they must be ever vigilant when hiring people to care for our elders.

  2. I agree with other writer, what a joke, someone chews their finger off and caregiver charged $1K+. It should go to court. Nursing and other homes get away with murder. They just want bodies (employees) there so they can stay open to anyone who walks in. It’s appalling what goes on in them.

  3. Wow this is so so sad!! They gave a little fine and that’s it!!!! What the heck is wrong with our world we need to protect the elderly an give more then a slap on the wrist. If any one has family in any type of nursing home we have to be there all the time please do not trust any one with your loved ones

  4. I work in dementia care here in CT and the 98% CNA’s in the facility are dysfunctional . They are not trained in specific and important areas of elder care and dementia/alz care. These are 2 specialties that should be a part of every CNA curriculum as the epidemic of baby boomer related illnesses will be inundating the medical system in short order.

    I love the residents where I work but I dread going to work SOLEY based on the performance of the CNA’s on the job. Very disheartening and often shocking behavior displayed by the CNA’s. ie..laughing at the resident, arguing with the residents, ignoring pleas for toileting for lengths of time, to the point the resident releases in their pants and ultimately on the chair, wheelchair, bed where they are sitting.

    May these terrible CNA’s eventually face a loved one or themselves in these situations.