Many families make the gut-wrenching decision to place a loved one in a nursing home to ensure that they received compassionate care in a safe environment. Unfortunately, many St. Clair County nursing home residents become the victims of mistreatment by caregivers and other residents.
If your loved one was harmed through mistreatment, neglect, abuse or died unexpectedly while residing in a nursing facility, the Illinois Nursing Home Law Center attorneys can take immediate legal action. Our team of nursing home negligence lawyers has successfully resolved many cases just like yours. Contact us now so we can begin working on your case today.
This long-term care (LTC) home is a "for profit" 140-certified bed center providing cares and services to residents of Belleville and St. Clair County, Illinois. The Medicare/Medicaid-participating facility is located at:
150 North 27Th Street
Belleville, Illinois, 62226
(618) 235-6600
In addition to providing around-the-clock skilled nursing care, Brea of Belleville also offers:
It is the responsibility of federal and state investigators to penalize any nursing home that has violated a rule or regulation that harmed or could have caused harm to a resident. Many of these penalties involve monetary fines or denial of payment for Medicare services.
Within the last three years, investigators have not fined Bria of Belleville. However, the facility did receive thirty formally filed complaints citing substandard care that all resulted in citations. Additional documentation about fines and penalties can be found on the Illinois Department of Public Health Nursing Home Reporting Website concerning this nursing facility.
Our attorneys review data on every long-term and intermediate care facility in Illinois. Families can obtain the same publically-available information by visiting numerous state and federal government databases including the IL Department of Public Health website and Medicare.gov. This information is a valuable tool to use when choosing the best location to place a loved one who needs the highest level of services and care in a safe environment.
According to Medicare, this facility maintains an overall rating of one out of five stars, including one out of five stars concerning health inspections, two out of five stars for staffing issues and two out of five stars for quality measures. The St. Clair County neglect attorneys at Nursing Home Law Center have found serious deficiencies and safety concerns at Bria of Belleville that include:
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated July 24, 2018, the state survey team noted that the nursing home had “failed to prevent abuse related to involuntary seclusion.” The deficient practice by the nursing staff and administration involve four residents “reviewed for abuse.”
In one incident, the surveyors reviewed a resident’s MDS (Minimum Data Set) and Care Plan that show that the cognitively intact resident “is at risk for abuse” due to their medical condition. The Care Plan goal shows that the resident “will have zero episodes of abuse and neglect through the next quarterly review.”
A review of the resident’s Smoking Safety Risk Assessment shows that the resident has “no potential for causing harm to herself or others while smoking [and] no history of fire setting.” The document also shows “no problem with following the smoking policy and no problem with control over smoking materials.”
A review of a different resident’s Smoking Safety Risk dated August 23, 2017, shows that that resident “can smoke unsupervised at this time.” The patient’s Care Plan shows that the resident “is at risk for abuse and neglect related to dementia [with the goal] to have his well being monitored.” The resident “will not have any episodes of abuse and neglect through the next review period.” Additional documentation shows that the patient’s “family requested activities [that the staff] hold his cigarettes.”
The investigators reviewed a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Witness Statement dated May 26, 2018, that documents, “I was assisting and serving the supper meal when [the Activity Aide said], ‘I am supposed to lock the door at 6:00 PM, and [one of the residents outside] usually gives me a hard time.’” The LPN told the Activity Aide “let me know if he refuses.” The Activity Aide “was asked, ‘did you lock the door? And was told ‘you cannot do that.’”
The LPN “reported to the activities room and did a head to toe check on [the resident that was left outside] at 6:26 PM.” The Administrator “was notified and instructed [the LPN to send the Activity Aide] home.”
A review of the resident’s Nurse’s Notes dated May 26, 201,8 documents the writer as saying, “I wanted to let you ladies know that [the Activity Aide] locked four residents outside in the smoking area for 15 to 20 minutes.” The CNA “was screaming and calling the resident’s dummies and threatening.” The Activity Aide “told the resident’s that they did not listen to her what would happen to them. The Nurse’s Note further documents that the resident is a female resident age 49. She plans to return home, and she transfers with one assist.” The resident “is able to propel herself in a wheelchair.”
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated July 24, 2018, the state investigators documented that the facility had failed to “implement safety measures” for one of five residents “reviewed for falls.”
The incident involved a moderately cognitively impaired patient whose Fall Investigation dated May 6, 2018, at 3:18 AM shows that the resident was “found lying on the floor in the doorway of the restroom. The resident stated she slipped and fell. It appears as if the resident had toileted herself and fell exiting the restroom. The resident stated she slipped when leaving the restroom.” The nursing staff sent the resident “to the hospital.”
A review of the resident’s documentation shows that the patient “has a history with electrolyte imbalances” and other medical conditions. The patient “is alert with confusion and requires reminders to stay seated in asked for assistance [before] transfer.”
The resident’s Care Plan noted certain interventions beginning on May 16, 2018, showing “direct care staff will do hourly checks on [the resident] during the nighttime hours when she is weaker and a bit more confused.” The Care Plan shows that the resident “states that she feels more anxious when she does not get enough sleep at night.”
The investigators interviewed the facility Director of Nursing who presented the resident’s “hourly nighttime checks dated from May 14, 2018, through May 23, 2018” saying “this is all I am able to find.” During an interview with the MDS (Minimum Data Set) Nurse Care Plan Assistant, it was verified that “Yes, the hourly checks at night should be continued because there is no stop date identified.”
The investigators reviewed the facility’s Fall Prevention Policy from September 2017 that reads in part:
“Guideline Following a Fall Accident: Care Plan to be updated with a new intervention based on root cause analysis after each and all occurrences.”
“Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Staff: The Interdisciplinary Service Plan (ISP) will identify resident specific fall risk prevention measures such as bed/chair alarm, personal alarms, bolsters, fall mats, etc. and placement will be verified at the beginning of the shift.”
In a separate summary statement of deficiencies dated December 27, 2017, the state investigative team noted that the nursing home had “failed to provide safe transfers in bed mobility for two of five residents” reviewed for falls.
One incident involved a resident who “was totally dependent on two staff members for transfer.” The resident’s Care Plan shows that the patient “should be transferred by two staff persons using a full body mechanical lift.”
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated June 23, 2017, the state survey team noted that the nursing home had failed to “apply a dressing as ordered to ensure ulcers for two of ten residents reviewed for pressure ulcers.” In one incident, the surveyors reviewed the facility’s Wound Report dated between June 10, 2017, and June 18, 2017, documenting that one resident “was admitted to the facility with a Stage III pressure ulcer on her sacrum which measured 8.8 cm by a .0 cm x 1.5 cm.”
The resident’s Doctor provided a treatment order as documented in the Treatment Administration Record (TAR) dated June 8, 2017. Observations were made of a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) on the afternoon of June 20, 2017, when the LPN “entered the resident’s room to change the resident’s dressing to the sacral pressure ulcer that has become soiled with fecal matter.”
The LPN “put on gloves without washing her hands and proceeded to remove the old dressing from [the resident’s] sacrum. Wearing the same soiled gloves, the Licensed Practical Nurse cleansed the wound with normal saline, applied calcium alginate to the wound base and covered it with a dry dressing.”
However, the LPN “did not apply a silver alginate dressing as ordered [by the physician] to the resident’s pressure ulcer.” As a part of the investigation, the surveyors interviewed the facility Director of Nurses who stated, “she expects staff to apply dressings as ordered by the physician.”
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated December 27, 2017, the state investigator documented the facility’s failure to “notify the Doctor and family of a change in condition.” The deficient practice by the nursing staff involved two residents “reviewed for notification of a change in condition.”
One incident involved a resident who is “totally dependent on two staff members for transfer.” A review of the resident’s Nurse’s Notes dated October 20, 2017, shows that the patient “was in the shower room with two Certified Nursing Aides [who were transferring the resident] back to their wheelchair after her shower and [the patient’s] right knee/leg gave out.”
At that time, the CNAs lowered the resident “to the ground and got” another member of the nursing staff “for assistance getting the resident back into the wheelchair. A total of four Certified Nursing Assistants and a fifth nursing staff member assisted the patient back into the wheelchair “using a gait belt around the resident’s waist. No signs and symptoms of pain, distress, abrasions noted [and] vital signs are stable. The resident has no complaints of pain at this time.”
However, the investigators noted that there was “no documentation of [the resident’s] medical record that [the resident’s] family or physician was notified of the fall.”
The survey team interviewed the facility’s Director of Nursing on the morning of December 21, 2017, who said, “I found out about this approximately three days after the fall happen. The Nurse on Duty did not realize it was a fall because she was lowered to the floor. A fall investigation was not done, the Doctor and family were notified when I found out.”
Has your loved one suffered harm while living at Bria of Belleville? If so, call the Illinois nursing home abuse attorneys at Nursing Home Law Center at (800) 926-7565 now. Our network of attorneys fights aggressively on behalf of St. Clair County victims of mistreatment living in long-term facilities including nursing homes in Belleville. 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 work on your family’s behalf to successfully resolve a claim for financial recovery against all those who caused your loved one’s harm. We file claims against nursing homes, medical centers, doctors and nursing staff. We accept every case concerning wrongful death, nursing home abuse, and personal injury through a contingency fee arrangement. This agreement postpones making payments to our legal firm until after we have successfully resolved your case through a jury trial award or negotiated settlement.
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 Lawyer Nursing Home Law Center LLC Home