Many of the issues associated with mistreatment occurring in nursing facilities and assisted living centers are often the result of understaffing, lack of trained personnel and minimal supervision. Sometimes, the patient’s requirements are ignored, or they suffer broken bones from falling or develop preventable bedsores. Without proper supervision, a confused patient can easily elope (wander away) from the nursing home and die or suffer an avoidable injury.If your loved one was mistreated, neglected or abused while residing in a Boone County nursing facility, contact the Kentucky Nursing Home Law Center attorneys now for immediate legal intervention. Our team of lawyers has successfully resolve cases just like yours and can help your family too. Let us begin working on your case today to ensure your family receives adequate monetary recovery for your damages and those responsible for causing the harm are held legally accountable.
This facility is a "for profit" center providing services to residents of Florence and Boone County, Kentucky. The Medicare/Medicaid-participating 151-certified bed long-term care (LTC) home is located at:
7300 Woodspoint Drive
Florence, Kentucky, 41042
(859) 371-5731
In addition to providing around-the-clock skilled nursing care, Bridge Point Center offers other services and amenities that include:
Federal agencies and the State of Kentucky have a legal responsibility to monitor every nursing facility. If serious violations are identified, the government can impose monetary fines or deny payment through Medicare if the resident was harmed or could have been harmed by the deficiency.
Over the last three years, surveyors have imposed two monetary penalties against Bridge Point Center citing substandard care. These penalties include a fine of $7803 on March 29, 2018, and a fine of $33,250 on March 4, 2016, for a total of $41,053. Also, Medicare denied payment for services rendered on March 29, 2018.
The nursing home received four formally filed complaints and self-reported one serious issue that all resulted in citations. Additional information about penalties and fines can be reviewed on the Kentucky Department of Health Care Nursing Home Reporting Website concerning this nursing facility.
A list of incident inquiries, opened investigations, filed complaints, dangerous hazards, health violations, and safety concerns on statewide long-term care homes can be reviewed on Kentucky 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 one out of five stars concerning health inspections, two out of five stars for staffing issues and one out of five stars for quality measures. The Boone County neglect attorneys at Nursing Home Law Center have found serious deficiencies and safety concerns at Bridge Point Center that include:
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated February 10, 2017, the state investigators noted that the facility had failed to “ensure residents have the right to be free from any physical restraint not required to treat a resident’s medical symptoms.” The deficient practice by the nursing staff involved one resident who “had a Velcro seat belt fastened which was attached to the wheelchair, which he/she could not remove easily.”
The surveyors say that “there was no documented evidence the facility assessed and evaluated the resident to determine the presence of a medical symptom that requires the use of restraint.” The nursing home also failed to obtain a Physician’s orders. As a part of the investigation, the surveyors reviewed the facility’s policy titled: Restraints – Use Of that was revised on November 28, 2016. The policy reads in part:
“Residents have the right to be free from any physical restraints imposed for purposes of discipline or convenience and not required to treat the resident’s medical symptoms.”
“Residents will be evaluated for the use of restraints are protected devices during the nursing assessment process.”
“If the device cannot be easily removed by the resident or restricts freedom of movement, the Restraint Evaluation would be completed [before] the application of the restraint.”
“The purpose of the policy is to provide a restraint-free environment or the least restrictive environment when medical symptoms warrant the use of restraints.”
The investigative team reviewed the resident’s medical records and Admission MDS (Minimum Data Set) Assessment. These reports show that the resident has “both short-term and long-term memory loss with severely impaired cognitive skills for daily decision-making.” A review of the patient’s MDS under Physical Restraints revealed that “the facility did not assess the resident as having restraints including a trunk restraint.”
The resident’s Medical Records “revealed no documented evidence of an Initial Restraint Assessment to determine the presence of a medical symptom required to use of the Velcro seat out restraints.” There were also no Physician’s orders for the restraint.
A review of the resident’s Comprehensive Care Plan “revealed no documented evidence the facility developed or revised the resident’s Care Plan to reflect the use of the Velcro seat belt restraint.” The survey team observed the resident sitting in the 200 Hall Day Room just before 2:00 PM on February a 2017 while in their wheelchair “with a Velcro seat belt fastened around [their] waste which was attached to the wheelchair.”
During an interview with a Contract State Registered Nurse Aide (SRNA), it was revealed that “she was consistently assigned to [the resident] and had been applying the Velcro seat belt restraint since the resident’s re-admittance” to the facility. During the interview, the SRNA “revealed she applied the seat belt to the resident to prevent him/her from falling out of the wheelchair because he/she would rock his/her body forward.”
The SRNA stated that “she knew the seat belt was considered a restraint but thought since the seat belt was on his wheelchair, he was approved for the restraint.” The SRNA revealed, “it was important for the resident to be approved for the seat belt [before] it could be used to ensure the restraint was safe to be used on the resident.”
The survey team interviewed a Registered Nurse (RN) who serves as the facility’s Unit Manager. The interview revealed that “staff should never have applied the seat belt restraint to [the resident].” The nurse stated, she expected “that SRNAs would use the seatbelt restraint [only after] looking at the resident’s Care Plan or asking a nurse.”
The RN said that the facility would require a Physician’s orders before the restraint is used. The RN said that however, “the steps were not taken [before] the seatbelt restraint was applied. The Unit Manager further stated it was important the restraint process was followed [before] initiating a restraint to assess if the restraint was appropriate, least restrictive and for the resident’s safety.
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated March 29, 2018, the state surveyors documented that the facility had failed to “ensure that each resident receives adequate supervision and assistance devices to prevent accidents.” The deficient practice by the nursing staff involved one resident who was “transferred per a slide board by a Contract State Registered Nurse Aide (SRNA) who had not been trained by the facility on how to transfer the resident using a slide board.”
The documentation shows that the SRNA transferred the resident without using a gait belt or Contact Guards transfer method as recommended by the Occupational Therapy [Department].” At that time, the resident “slid off of the slide board onto the floor.” The Contract State Registered Nurse Aide “failed to notify the nurse of the resident’s fall [for] the resident to be assessed for pain or injury and instead asked [another SRNA] to help her assist the resident off the floor and into the motorized chair.”
After the incident, the resident “later complained of right leg pain that was assessed by the night shift nurse to have a large knot to the interior right knee, below the patella and was transferred to the hospital emergency room on February 11, 2018, at 12:10 AM.” The survey team reviewed the facility’s policy titled: Safe Resident Handling/Transfer Equipment Policy that was revised on May 4, 2017. The policy reads in part:
“Patients will be assessed to determine the appropriate equipment to be used.”
“Staff will be trained in the use of each type of equipment (slight boards or mechanical lift). Per policy, a slide board could be used for patients who were able to transfer independently, and rehabilitation services would provide patient or caregiver training.”
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated March 29, 2018, the state investigators documented that the facility had failed to “ensure residents were free from significant medication errors.” The deficient practice by the nursing staff involved one resident.
The incident involved a resident who was prescribed an aerosol medication “to improve lung function.” The staff is “required to [administer] orally twice each day at 9:00 AM and 9:00 PM. However, the surveyors determined that “between May 20, 2018, May 27, 2018, ten doses were missed with no documented evidence either the pharmacy or Physician were notified.”
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated March 29, 2018, a state investigator noted the nursing home's failure to “establish and maintain an infection prevention and control program designed to provide a safe, sanitary and comfortable environment.” The nursing home also failed to “help prevent the development and transmission of communicable diseases and infections.”
The surveyors observed a Physical Therapy Aide (PTA) entering a resident’s room on March 26, 2018 “without utilizing PPE (Personal Protection Equipment), although the resident was on contact precautions for [Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE), two highly contagious infections].” The investigators reviewed the resident’s Initial Nursing Assessment that revealed the resident “had a Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus infection requiring antibiotics.”
The resident’s Comprehensive Care Plan dated March 26, 2018, revealed that “the resident was at risk for complications of infection related to VRE. The goal stated the resident would remain free of complications of infection. The interventions included the administration of medications as ordered by the Physician; proper handwashing as needed, resident [care] related to the infection control, monitoring urine characteristics related to the infection, and Contact Precautions.”
The surveyors observed a sign posted on the resident’s room doorpost on March 26, 2018, at 3:30 PM. The sign directed “staff and visitors to stop and speak with a nurse before entering the room. There was a 3-drawer container in the hall next to the door containing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) including gowns and gloves.”
During the observation, a Physical Therapy Aide “did not check with the nurse and entered [the resident’s] room without donning PPE. The Physical Therapy Aide spoke with [the resident] for four minutes before exiting.” The Aide stated that “she was unaware [that the resident] was in contact isolation and further stated she had not seen the sign on the doorpost.”
Have you concluded that your loved one was victimized by caregivers while living at Bridge Point Center? If so, contact the Kentucky nursing home abuse attorneys at Nursing Home Law Center at (800) 926-7565 now for immediate legal intervention. Our network of attorneys fights aggressively on behalf of Boone County victims of mistreatment living in long-term facilities including nursing homes in Florence. Contact us now to schedule a free case review to discuss how to obtain justice and resolve a financial compensation claim.
Our abuse and mistreatment injury attorneys represent victims injured by neglect of the nursing staff. Our network of attorneys working on your behalf can ensure your family receives adequate financial recompense for the injuries, harm, losses, and damages your loved one has endured by others. We accept all cases of wrongful death, nursing home abuse, and personal injury through a contingency fee agreement. This arrangement postpones making payments to our legal firm until after we have successfully resolved your case through a jury trial award or negotiated settlement.
We offer each client a “No Win/No-Fee” Guarantee, meaning all fees are waived if we cannot obtain compensation to recover your damages. We can start on your case today to ensure you receive compensation for your damages. All information you share with our law offices will remain confidential.
Sources:
Attorney Carey Acerra
Licensed in Kentucky
Chicago Nursing Home Injury Attorney Nursing Home Law Center LLC Home