Six Nursing Homes Fined Following Lapses In Care

Six nursing homes were cited by the state Department of Public Health following lapses in care, including an accidental medication overdose, falls that resulted in injuries and failing to monitor residents. Paradigm Healthcare Center of Torrington was cited and fined $1,160 in March after a January incident in which a resident being treated for hypertension, chronic pulmonary disease and lymphoma was given an accidental overdose of medication. A nurse mistakenly gave the resident 2.5 milliliters of morphine sulfate, 10 times the 0.25-milileter dose ordered by the treating physician, records show. The overdose resulted in lowered blood pressure and slowed breathing in the resident, who was taken to the emergency room and later discharged back to the center. Officials at the facility did not return a phone call seeking comment.

Four Nursing Homes Fined, One For Abuse Of A Resident

The state Department of Public Health has fined four nursing homes more than $1,000 each for one case of physical abuse and incidents that left residents with cuts, bruises and a broken bone. On Jan. 23, Arden House in Hamden was fined $1,020 in connection with an incident of physical abuse of a resident by a nurse’s aide, DPH records show. On Oct. 31, a resident who had a history of making unsubstantiated allegations against staff members said a nurse’s aide undressed him or her and pinched him or her in the groin, records show.

Nursing Homes Penalized For Care Lapses Leading To Injuries

The state Department of Public Health has penalized six nursing homes for lapses in care that contributed to residents’ injuries. In one case, a resident of Middlesex Health Care Center of Middletown who was cognitively impaired and known to have an “obsession” with shaving her legs was found with multiple lacerations on her legs. The resident obtained a razor from an unlocked room, a DPH inspection report says. After the incident, the facility changed its practice and locked up razors, while also adopting interventions to address the resident’s obsessive behavior. The home was fined $1,350 by the state.