Dr. Ronald E McNair Nursing & Rehabilitation Center has been cited for the physical abuse of a resident. A family member shared with the investigator compiling this citation report that a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) had kicked the resident, causing the resident to develop medical problems.
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The first documentation of this abuse was from a physician’s note, which stated that the resident was wincing in pain after being kick in the left tibia-fibula area by a CNA in the facility. The incident was not reported to the state within two hours, and the five-day investigation was not completed until two-and-a-half months later. There was no explanation for the nursing home’s delay in reporting the incident, a violation of state policy.
Five months after a CNA kicked this resident, a nurse saw a large hematoma on the resident’s left arm, a collection of blood just beneath the skin. A hematoma could be taken care of by the body like a bruise but sometimes needs additional care to be resolved. A hematoma is not a minor injury, but often caused by a fall or severe trauma to the affected area of the body. Two months later the bruising spread to the resident’s left temple, around the entire right eye, and to the right cheek area.
Just one month later, a nurse saw a bluish tint to the resident’s interior thumb and redness on another part of the hand. The resident had not complained of pain, but an x-ray revealed that they had sustained an acute oblique fourth metacarpal shaft fracture. This injury was reported the day after the x-ray, but this was still a day later than is required by the state. Nursing homes need to report incidents such as this injury within two hours. The five-day report was also late. The facility did not give reasons as to why the reports for this injury were late.
A few weeks after the facility found a fracture in the resident’s hand, the resident had a bruise on the right side of their face, beneath the eye and near their nose. Two months following this observation, the resident was involved in a resident-to-resident altercation. Many of the injuries this resident suffered in a few months were not reported to the state.
Likewise, the altercation with another resident was not reported. This resident had been abused by a CNA once, but showed continued signs of abuse or injury. The fracture in their hand was documented and treated, but the facility did not investigate the cause of this injury. The cause for such injuries could have been repeated falls or physical abuse, which are both cause for serious concern.
Multiple cases of reporting delays or complete omissions are documented in this particular citation. All of these were reportable incidents, which should have all been reported, investigated, and submitted in a timely manner.
- A resident was reviewed for neglect, which had been reported by a family member. This and another resident’s alleged neglect were not reported to the state within two hours as is required. One report was submitted after six days, and the other after nine days. This does not appear to be a nursing home facility that cares for its residents’ well being.
- One resident was sexually abused by another resident, but no two-hour report was filed as a part of the investigation. Both residents were separated after the incident, but were not able to be interviewed due to their inability to communicate and remember the incident clearly.
- The facility received results for a resident’s x-ray, which showed a fracture in their right hip. The nursing home reported this injury more than a month later.
- Yet another resident suffered an injury of unknown origin in this facility. The resident had fallen and complained of joint pain, leading the facility to conduct an x-ray. This scan revealed a dislocated shoulder. The facility never investigated or reported this incident.
Dr. Ronald E McNair Nursing & Rehabilitation Center failed to care for residents in multiple scenarios over a series of months. This lack of care for residents is not only poor management and organization, but a failure to prioritize patient health. Injuries that result from a fall or physical abuse can cause serious health issues or a decreased quality of life. Injuries such as those described here are often the signs of nursing home abuse and neglect. Failing to report incidents in a timely manner keeps state authorities and families from holding the nursing home accountable.
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