Admitting a loved one into a nursing facility is never an easy decision for any family to make. In many incidences, that time finally arrived when a father, mother, spouse, grandparent or disabled child could no longer be cared for while living in a loving environment at home. In many situations, family members make a responsible, well-informed decision to place a loved one in a nursing facility in Arizona to ensure they get the care and hygiene assistance they require to live a safe and enjoyable life with dignity. Unfortunately, The Flagstaff nursing home abuse & neglect attorneys at Nursing Home Law Center LLC have seen many cases where nursing home residents have been victimized by those in charge of providing them care.
Every year, Medicare releases data on all nursing facilities providing cares and services in Flagstaff with publicly available information involving inspections, surveys and investigations. The federal agency states that, currently, two (15%) of the thirteen Flagstaff nursing homes provide their residents substandard care after serious deficiencies and violations were found by investigators. Was your loved one was injured, harmed, mistreated, abused, or died unexpectedly from neglect while residing in a nursing home in Flagstaff. If so, we urge you to contact a Flagstaff nursing home abuse lawyer at Nursing Home Law Center (800-926-7565) today to schedule a free case review to discuss a financial compensation claim.
Many of the injuries and deaths are the result of understaffing in overcrowded nursing facilities throughout Arizona. Other incidences involve a lack of adequate training or staff members acting inappropriately, negligently or abusively. Abuse and neglect are different in many ways. In most incidences, abuse is an action that hurts the resident physically, mentally, sexually, emotionally or financially, whereas, negligence usually involves failing to provide proper and necessary services to the resident.
The number of cases where nursing home residents suffering serious injury or death as a result of abuse, mistreatment or neglect have risen significantly in the last few decades. Many residents have endured physical or emotional trauma or been neglected to the point where they suffer from malnutrition, dehydration or bedsores acquired after being admitted to the nursing home. Others suffer serious injury due to medication errors when the nursing staff either fails to give the drug as directed by the doctor or makes a mistake and gives a loved one a drug that was supposed to be given to a different resident.
To minimize the potential of nursing home residents becoming victimized, our team of accomplished Flagstaff elder abuse attorneys continuously review national databases including Medicare.gov, searching for valuable publicly available information about nursing facilities throughout Arizona. We post the most serious offenses involving opened investigations, filed complaints and health concern to assist family members in making the best informed decision possible before admitting their loved one to a nursing home.
Our Coconino County nursing home abuse attorneys have detailed the list below of facilities all throughout the Flagstaff area that currently maintain below average ratings comparable to other facilities nationwide. In addition, our Arizona nursing home lawyers have posted their primary concerns involving health hazards, the spread of infection, abuse, neglect and other inappropriate and unacceptable circumstances at nursing facilities.
Haven of Camp Verde
86 West Salt Mine Road
Camp Verde, Arizona 86322
(928) 567-5253
A “For-Profit” 58-certified bed Medicaid/Medicare-participating facility
Overall Rating – 2 out of 5 possible stars
Primary Concerns –
Failure to Report and Investigate Any Act of Abuse, Neglect or Mistreatment of the Residents at the Facility
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated 10/30/2015, a complaint investigation was opened against the facility for its failure to “ensure that an allegation of abuse for [a resident] was reported and investigated timely.”
The complaint investigation was initiated at the state investigator reviewed the facility’s investigative documentation that revealed that “a family member and the resident have reported an allegation of abuse toward a staff member on 07/05/2015. The allegation was that a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) had threatened to get the resident who was mean to him.”
The facility completed an allegation investigation indicating that “the allegation was not substantiated. However, it was noted that the facility’s nurse’s had heard of this allegation around 06/23/2015 but did not report the situation, instead telling the CNA to bring in a second staff member when providing care to this resident.”
The state investigator interviewed the facility’s Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) on 09/29/2015 who indicated “that on or around 06/23/2015, the CNA came up to her and said that he did not want to work with the resident because the resident was telling other staff that the CNA was mean to him and attempted to hit him.” The Licensed Practical Nurse revealed that “she did not feel this was an abuse allegation because the resident had some history of not liking certain staff members”. However, the LPN stated “looking back on the situation she realizes she should have reported the situation immediately to the facility.”
The state surveyor conducted a 09/30/2015 interview with the facility’s Director of nursing who said “that she felt this was a severe issue that the nurse did not report this allegation and that the expectation was that she should report any allegation of abuse or treatment.”
Our Camp Verde nursing home abuse attorneys recognize that any failure to follow protocols to report allegations of abuse has the potential of harming one or more residents in the facility. The failure of the nursing staff might be considered additional abuse, mistreatment or harm because their actions did not follow the facility’s policies including the policy titled Abuse Policy and Procedure that reads in part:
“If abuse is suspected, reporting and investigation will take place. The policy noted that the administrator will be notified and an investigation will begin immediately.”
Rim Country Health and Retirement Community
807 West Longhorn Road
Payson, Arizona 85541
(928) 474-1120
A “For-Profit” 109-certified bed Medicaid/Medicare-participating facility
Overall Rating – 2 out of 5 possible stars
Primary Concerns –
Failure to Provide Necessary Services and Care to Ensure the Resident Maintains Their Highest Well-Being
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated 04/17/2015, a complaint investigation against the facility was opened for its failure to “assess and monitor multiple skin conditions for three residents [at the facility].”
The complaint investigation was initiated after a review of the facility’s 10/10/2014 Nursing Note that revealed that “during the shower a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) found that the resident’s left lower back was swollen, hard and painful to touch. According to the documentation, the physician was notified, ice was applied, pain medication was administered and the resident would continue to be monitored. However, a review of the [resident’ is] clinical record revealed no documented evidence that the resident left lower back continue to be monitored or assess.”
The state investigated and reviewed the facility’s October 2014 TAR (Treatment Administration Record) and entries in the Nurses Notes that revealed “no documented evidence that ice was offered or applied after 10/11/2014, through 10/22/2014, when the resident was transferred to the hospital.”
The state surveyor noted the 10/21/2014 Nursing Note indicated that “the resident complained of having unbearable pain to the left side of her back that she cried when it was touched. The documentation did not include that the physician had been notified” of the “status of the resident’s left lower back.”
10/22/2014, The nursing notes indicate that the resident “now had labored breathing, difficulty swallowing, abnormal vital signs and severe lower back pain. Per the documentation, the physician was notified and an order was obtained to send the resident to the hospital.”
The state investigator reviewed The resident’s hospital documentation that revealed “the resident arrived in septic shock. The treatment plan was for debridement drainage of abscess to the left flank area […and] the resident was taken to the operating room were two liters of purulent drainage was evacuated.”
The state surveyor’s conducted a 04/15/2015 interview with the facility’s Director of nursing who revealed that resident’s clinical records indicate that “ongoing assessment and monitoring the resident’s lower back issue had not been provided.” The Director of Nursing also revealed that “the occurrence of a hard, swollen area, on the resident’s lower left back would have been a change of condition, which therefore, would have required a license staff to assess and document the resident’s condition every shift for at least three days, and notify the resident’s physician accordingly.”
Our Payson nursing home neglect attorneys recognize that failing to follow protocols when providing care to residents with a change of condition could cause additional harm that might result in an immediate jeopardy of the resident’s help. In addition, the deficient practice of the nursing staff failed to follow the facility’s policy titled: Resident Care and Services that reads in part:
“Change of condition of a resident requires notification of the physician and monitoring every shift or 72 hours or longer of necessary; this monitoring will be documented in the resident medical record.”
Haven of Lakeside
3401 North Lockwood Drive
Lakeside, Arizona 85929
(928) 368-2060
A “For-Profit” 112-certified bed Medicaid/Medicare-participating facility
Overall Rating – 2 out of 5 possible stars
Primary Concerns –
Failure to Ensure the Nursing Facility Provides Professional Standards of Quality to Every Resident
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated 09/17/2015, a notation was made during an annual licensure and certification survey by a state investigator concerning the facility’s failure to “ensure that Foley catheter (an indwelling urinary catheter) care was provided as physician ordered for a resident at the facility.”
The deficient practice was noted after the state surveyor reviewed the resident’s records indicating that “the Foley catheter order was transcribed onto the September 2015 [TAR (Treatment Administration Record)]. However, during an observation of Foley catheter care conducted on 09/17/2015, [the Registered Nurse in charge of providing care to the resident] was observed between the-package wipes and not soap and water as prescribed.”
The state surveyor conducted an interview with the Registered Nurse “immediately following this observation. The [Registered Nurse] stated she always use the pre-package wipes to administer Foley catheter care […and] she must have missed the physician’s orders.”
Our Lakeside nursing home neglect attorneys recognize that nursing staff members who failed to follow procedures and protocols could cause harm or serious injury to the resident. The deficient practice of Haven of Lakeside might be considered negligence or mistreatment because it does not follow their own facility policy titled: Urinary Catheter Care that reads in part:
“The following equipment and supplies will be necessary when performing this procedure: wash basin; soap and water; washcloth; towel; bed protector; personal protective equipment.”
Mountain View Manor
1045 Sandretto Drive
Prescott, Arizona 86305
(928) 778-4837
A “For-Profit” 116-certified bed Medicaid/Medicare-participating facility
Overall Rating – 2 out of 5 possible stars
Primary Concerns –
Failure to Ensure the Nursing Facility Provides Professional Standards of Quality to Every Resident
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated 11/06/2014, a notation was made by a state investigator during an annual licensure and certification survey concerning the facility’s failure to “consistently assess and monitor [a resident] following a medical procedure.”
The deficient practice was noted after the state investigator reviewed a resident’s clinical record revealing “an authorization for an operative dated 01/24/2014, which included the resident was to have a dual chamber pacemaker generator change.”
The state surveyor reviewed the 02/04/2014 1:00 PM Nurse’s Notes indicating the resident had return from the hospital to the facility at the completion of their pacemaker surgery the note included from the “resident’s cardiologist on 02/04/2014 and faxed to the facility the same day at 8:51 AM indicating that the resident “was to wear sling at all times, until she saw the doctor on February 12th and to see the attached discharge instructions from the hospital.
The discharge papers included in part that the resident was to “wear the sling on the operative arm, do not let the operative arm move more than 90 degrees until seen by the physician and to report any signs and symptoms of infection to the physician immediately.” No additional documentation in regards to any post operation assessment being performed or post operation instructions being implemented appears in the nurse’s notes until 02/06/2014 indicating that the resident “was being watched closely to ensure compliance with sling on the left arm. No additional nurse’s notes were documented again until [6 days later].”
The state surveyor reviewed the resident’s clinical records” additional documentation that the resident was consistently assessed and monitor following the pacemaker procedure, nor was there any consistent documentation that the physician’s post-operative instruction implemented.”
The state surveyor conducted a 11/05/2014 interview with the facility’s Director of Nursing who stated that looking at the documentation “she would not be able to determine the resident was properly assessed regarding the pacemaker or if the Plan of Care was followed unless it was documented in the Nurse’s Notes.”
In many situations, family members are unaware that any problems are occurring in a nursing facility because they are unable to stay with their loved one around-the-clock. Often times, the signs and symptoms of nursing home neglect and abuse are not obvious. While an indicator of the unexpected or unexplained bruise on a loved one’s skin might be an indicator of abuse, other forms are less conspicuous. Some indicators of abuse might involve:
Some indicators of neglect involve:
If you have identified any of these warning signs, it is crucial to seek immediate legal representation to ensure the safety of your loved one. A skilled Flagstaff elder abuse lawyer can answer questions about serious concerns.
If your loved one has been victimized by elder abuse or neglect in a nursing home, or you have suspicions your loved one is suffering as a result of abuse or neglect it is crucial to contact a lawyer immediately. The Flagstaff nursing home abuse attorneys at Nursing Home Law Center LLC will fight relentlessly on your behalf to ensure vindication for your loved one. Our Arizona team of dedicated, accomplished attorneys provides legal representation for victims suffering negligence, abuse and mistreatment.
Contact us today by calling our Arizona elder abuse law offices at (800) 926-7565 to schedule your free no obligation full case review. All information you share will remain confidential. No upfront fee is required as all of our wrongful death lawsuits, personal injury claims and nursing home abuse cases are handled through contingency fee arrangements. Our legal services are paid only from a jury award from a successful lawsuit trial or after we negotiate your acceptable out of court settlement.
For additional information on Arizona laws and information on nursing homes look here.
If you are looking for information on a specific facility or an attorney, please see links below to respective locality pages.
Attorney James Morgan
Licensed in Arizona
Coconino County Nursing Home Injury Lawyer Nursing Home Law Center LLC Home