Are you responsible for protecting your loved one from neglect or abuse while they live in a nursing facility? Do you have certain concerns that they might be the victims of mistreatment? If so, the Illinois Nursing Home Law Center Attorneys can provide immediate legal intervention. Our team of lawyers have helped many families in Cook County and can help your family too.
Contact us now so we can begin working on your case today. Let us use the law to ensure that your loved one starts living their life with respect and dignity and that those responsible for causing harm are held legally and financially accountable. We will file and resolve your financial compensation case before the state statute of limitations expires, and you lose your right to ever seek compensation for damages.
If your loved one has been mistreated at Austin Oasis, contact our Chicago nursing home abuse attorneys.
This Medicare/Medicaid-approved nursing center is a "for profit" facility providing services and cares to residents of Cook County, Illinois. The 216-certified bed long-term care (LTC) nursing home is located at:
901 South AustinFinancial Penalties and Violations
Chicago, Illinois, 60644
(773) 287-5959
Illinois and federal investigators have the legal authority to penalize any nursing home with a denied payment for Medicare services or a monetary fine when the facility is cited for serious violations of established regulations that compromise resident safety.
Within the last three years, Austin Oasis received fourteen formally filed complaints due to substandard care. Additional documentation about fines and penalties can be found on the Illinois Department of Public Health Nursing Home Reporting Website concerning this nursing facility.
A list of safety concerns, health violations, opened investigations, incident inquiries, dangerous hazards, and filed complaints on statewide long-term care homes can be reviewed on Illinois Department of Public Health and Medicare.gov database websites. Many families use this data to determine the best facility to place a loved one who requires the highest level of hygiene assistance and skilled health care.
According to Medicare, this facility maintains an overall rating of one out of five stars, including two out of five stars concerning health inspections, one out of five stars for staffing issues and two out of five stars for quality measures. The Cook County neglect attorneys at Nursing Home Law Center have found serious deficiencies and safety concerns at Austin Oasis that include:
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated December 8, 2016, the state investigator documented the facility’s failure to “notify the physician of a resident refusing medication.” This failure “applies to [one resident] reviewed for medications.”
The state investigative team observed a medication pass involving a Registered Nurse when a resident stated, “I’m getting the wrong medication.” The Registered Nurse said, “she [the resident] always refuses her medications.” The resident’s dated, “I’m getting medication for diabetes, and I am not diabetic.”
The investigators reviewed the facility Medication Administration Record (MAR) showing that the resident “refused seven days of [their medication] involving “five doses” of one medication and “eleven doses” of another medication that was ordered to be given twice daily.”
The surveyors reviewed the resident’s Progress Notes dated from June 13, 2016, to November 8, 2016, that shows that there was no “communication with the physician of [the resident] refusing ordered medications.” A review of the resident’s Care Plan indicated that on May 18, 2016, the resident “presented behavioral symptoms with refusing medication and blood work.”
However, the resident’s Care Plan does not show that the resident was being educated “on the effects of the medication’s purpose and its refusal.” The resident’s “Care Plan is without any new interventions being indicated since May 18, 2016.”
As a part of the investigation, the surveyors interviewed the facility Director of Nursing who stated, “when the initial is circled in the Medication Administration Record (MAR),” it indicates a refusal. The surveyors say that the “facility’s Refusal of Medication and Treatment policy revised December 2013 indicates that if the resident refused medications or treatment, it should be documented with the date and time, and the physician should be notified.”
In a separate summary statement of deficiencies dated November 22, 2017, the state survey team documented that the facility failed to “notify the physician after holding insulin medication [on six occasions] for one resident reviewed for medication administration.”
A Licensed Practical Nurse stated on 11/22 2017 that they withheld the resident’s ordered insulin medication dose at 9:00 AM. The nurse explained that it was because “I did not feel comfortable giving [the medication since the resident’s] blood sugar was 86.” The LPN said that they did not want the resident “to bottom out.”
The LPN said that “he did not completely eat [his] first tray.” However, when the resident asked for another tray, he ate all of that. Follow-up blood sugar was [in the] 90s. Sometimes [the resident’s blood sugar level] does not go above 100.” The LPN said that they were not sure why the physician ordered two different medications and that there was “no written order on when to hold [the medication].” The LPN “did not contact the physician after holding [the resident’s insulin medication].”
During an interview with the attending physician on November 22, 2017, the doctor said “I told them to phone me with blood sugars, especially [when it is] below 100. Hold it [the medication] and call me.”
The investigators reviewed the resident’s blood sugar levels that were documented in their medical record that showed the resident had levels below to 100 on six obvious occasions between November 2, 2017, and November 22, 2017, and one possible level lower than 100 that was noted with an illegible entry. The investigator said that “there was no nursing documentation [that the attending physician] was notified [that the resident’s medication] was withheld.” The Director of Nursing stated that the staff must “hold blood sugar medication, should call [the doctor].”
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated April 24, 2018, the state investigators noted that the facility failed to “provide supporting documentation and diagnoses for the use of Keflex antibiotic medication for [one resident].” The nursing home also failed to document the “use of antidiarrheal medication for [one resident of four residents reviewed for the indication for medication usage.”
One incident involved a severely, cognitively impaired male resident who requires “extensive assistance with dressing, ambulation, transfers and hygiene/bathing.” The resident’s physician’s orders are based on the rationale “for the use of antibiotic as palliative preventative for redness and puffiness of the eye. There is no documentation seen or presented in [the resident] having any infection or needing an antibiotic.”
The investigators reviewed the resident’s MDS (Minimum Data Set) that revealed a “third dose of Keflex on April 19, 2018, should not have been administered yet has initials that it was administered.” The investigators interviewed the Wound Nurse on the afternoon of April 19, 2018, who stated, “she was concerned about [the resident’s] bump with a scab and puffiness from a previous fall.”
The Wound Nurse said that they were worried that the resident “may pick at the scab due to impaired cognition.” The wound nurse said, “she called the physician and asked for an antibiotic as palliative and preventative measures” saying that “she was not concerned that [the resident] had no infection.
During an interview with the facility Director of Nursing, it was revealed that the facility follows the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program to minimize or prevent “risks associated with the unnecessary or prolonged use of antibiotics through the use of the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program. The program includes the use of the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)” guidelines.
The CDC view involves the understanding that “when a patient takes an antibiotic when it is not needed, the patient gets no benefit and is unnecessarily exposed to preventable and potentially serious health problems. Each time an antibiotic is used, it can increase the risk that future infection will be resistant to antibiotics.”
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated July 12, 2017, the state surveyor noted that the Nursing Home had “failed to follow its own Abuse Prevention Policy by employing a Nursing Assistant who had a disqualifying conviction.” The surveyors documented that the newly hired Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) “has a domestic battery conviction on record and should not be working” at any nursing home.
A facility employee stated, “that the facility did a background check back on February 10, 2017, and the results were sent to the facility on February 14, 2017.” The report revealed that the new employee “had a disqualifying conviction.” The staff member said that the newly hired CNA “was notified by mail [concerning the battery conviction] and is just now calling and five months later to get a waiver.”
The staff member said that “when she called the facility and spoke to the HR Director, the Director stated, “they knew nothing about [the CNA] having a disqualifying conviction.”
The surveyors interviewed the facility Administrator on the afternoon of July 11, 2017. The Administrator stated, “that he did not know anything about [the CNA’s] disqualifying conviction until yesterday [July 10, 2017] when [the employee] notified him that he was trying to get a part-time job and the disqualifying conviction became an issue.”
The investigators reviewed the facility’s Illinois Department of Public Health healthcare Worker Registry form dated February 14, 2017, that revealed a criminal history and had a hit of disqualifying.
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated November 29, 2016, the state surveyor noted that the nursing home “failed to implement pressure ulcer plan interventions and failed to provide pressure ulcer treatments as prescribed by the physician.” The deficient practice by the nursing staff involved three residents “reviewed for pressure ulcers.”
The surveyors reviewed the facility’s Weekly Pressure Ulcer Surveillance Report dated October 5, 2016, indicating that one resident “did not have any wounds present.” However, the facility Director of Nursing stated that the resident “had a wound debridement while in the hospital from November 2, 2016, through November 21, 2016.” A review of the resident’s hospital records dated November 2, 2016 “did not include documentation of surgical procedures.”
A review of the facility’s October 26, 2016, Weekly Pressure Ulcer Surveillance Report shows that the resident “had facility-acquired deep tissue injuries on October 6, 2016.” The documentation shows a resident had wounds to the left medial heal, left medial arch, left medial bunion area, left lateral heel, left lateral arch, left lateral metatarsal, right medial ankle, right medial heel, right medial arch, right medial bunion, right lateral arch, right medial hand, right medial knee (Stage II) and left medial knee (Stage II).”
A review of the facility’s report showed that the resident developed “sixteen deep tissue injuries” between October 5, 2016, and October 6, 2016.” The facility reported that the resident “acquired the pressure ulcers on October 6, 2016, while in the hospital.” However, “the resident’s facility census report indicates [that the resident] was not hospitalized until October 10, 2016.”
Do you believe that residents, caregivers or visitors victimized your loved one while living at Austin Oasis? If so, contact Illinois nursing home abuse and neglect attorneys at Nursing Home Law Center at (800) 926-7565 today. Our network of attorneys fights aggressively on behalf of Cook County victims of mistreatment living in long-term facilities including nursing homes in Chicago. Contact us now to schedule a free case review to discuss how to obtain justice and resolve a financial compensation claim.
Our skilled attorneys can file and successfully resolve your nursing home abuse or mistreatment case to hold those who caused your loved one harm financially accountable. The attorneys accept all personal injury claims, nursing home abuse suits, medical malpractice cases, and wrongful death lawsuits through a contingency fee agreement. This arrangement postpones the requirement to make a payment to our network of attorneys until after we have successfully resolved your claim for compensation through a negotiated out of court settlement or jury trial award.
We provide each client a “No Win/No-Fee” Guarantee, meaning you owe us nothing if we cannot obtain compensation for your damages. We can begin representing you in your case today to ensure you receive adequate compensation for your damages. All information you share with our law offices will remain confidential.
Attorney Jonathan Rosenfeld
Licensed in Illinois
Chicago Nursing Home Injury Attorney Nursing Home Law Center LLC Home