Do you suspect that your loved one has been mistreated while living in a Palm Beach County nursing facility? Are you concerned that their injuries or unexpected death is a result of abuse or neglect by caregivers, employees, or other patients? If so, contact the Florida Nursing Home Law Center attorneys now for immediate legal intervention.
Let our team of abuse prevention lawyers work on your behalf to ensure your family receives monetary compensation for your damages. We use the law to ensure that those responsible for causing injuries and harm are held financially and legally responsible. Let us begin working on your case today.
This long-term care facility is a 120-certified bed "for-profit" home providing services and cares to residents of Palm Beach Gardens and Palm Beach County, Florida. The Medicare and Medicaid-participating center is located at:
3803 PGA Boulevard
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33410
(561) 626-1125
Gardens Court Nursing Center
In addition to providing around the clock skilled nursing care, Gardens Court Nursing Center offers other services. Additional focused care includes inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation.
The state of Florida and the federal government have a legal responsibility for monitoring every nursing home. These agencies have the authority to impose monetary penalties or hold payment from Medicare if the nursing facility has violated rules and regulations. Typically, the more serious the violation, the higher the monetary fines, especially if neglect or abuse caused harm or could have caused harm to a resident.
The nursing home received one complaint over the last thirty-six months that resulted in a violation citation. Additional documentation concerning penalties and fines can be reviewed on the State of Florida Department of Elder Affairs.
The state of Florida and Medicare.com routinely update their comprehensive list of deficiencies online to reflect all violations
According to Medicare, this facility maintains an overall rating of two out of five stars, including two out of five stars concerning health inspections, five out of five stars for staffing issues and four out of five stars for quality measures.
The state survey team determined that “the facility failed to ensure that [one resident] reviewed for Tube Feeding received appropriate treatment and services to prevent aspiration, pneumonia, diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration, metabolic abnormalities, and nasal-pharyngeal ulcers and to restore, if possible, normal eating skills.”
The survey team observed a staff member pulling the privacy curtain for a resident and lowering the head of the bed flat to begin “tube feeding infusing.” Before providing catheter care, the surveyor stopped the staff member and “requested that she call the nurse to stop the feeding pump.” The staff member “stepped outside the resident’s room to get a nurse.”
Fourteen minutes later, a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) “entered the resident’s room and shut off the tube feeding.” Approximately four hours later, the survey team interviewed a Speech Therapist who stated that “the resident received a swallow study [test] and has not aspirated here at the facility although aspiration did occur at the hospital [before the resident came] to the facility.”
The surveyors interviewed the Director of Nursing, who stated that “while tube feeding is running, the resident should be at least positioned at a 30° angle, that is the industry standard.” A review of the resident’s records revealed the resident had a swallowing dysfunction. Documentation also revealed goals that include the resident is “at risk for complication secondary to using it feeding tube [that] will be minimized as no signs and symptoms of aspiration, nausea and vomiting and abdominal distention to the next review date.”
The nursing home “failed to implement non-pharmacological interventions [before] psychoactive drug administration.” The nursing home also “failed to monitor the effectiveness of antianxiety medications and provide duplicate therapy of antipsychotic medications.”
A resident’s Medication Administration Records from November 2016, through December 2016, revealed the resident had been receiving psychotropic medications. However, upon further review of the record, including the Nurse’s Notes, behavior flow record and administration records, there was no “evidence of non-pharmacological interventions attempted [before] administering the psychoactive drug.” The facility Director of Nursing confirmed this failure.
Do you believe that your loved one has suffered harm through mistreatment while living at Gardens Court Nursing Center? Contact the Florida nursing home abuse lawyers at Nursing Home Law Center at (800) 926-7565 for immediate legal intervention. We represent Palm Beach County victims of abuse and neglect in all areas, including Palm Beach Gardens.
You will not be charged to discuss your case with our legal team during an initial, free case review. Also, we provide a 100% “No Win/No-Fee” Guarantee. This promise means that you will owe us nothing until we have secured financial compensation on your behalf. All information you share with our law offices will remain confidential.
Attorney Blair N. Mendes, Esq.
Licensed in Florida
Chicago Nursing Home Injury Lawyer Nursing Home Law Center LLC Home