The number of cases involving mistreatment in nursing facilities throughout Florida has risen significantly over the last few decades. Many senior citizens, rehabilitating, and disabled become victims of abuse and neglect at the hands of caregivers, employees, visitors, or other patients. If your loved one was injured while living in a Pinellas County nursing facility, contact the Florida nursing home affiliate attorneys now for immediate legal assistance.
Our team of abuse prevention lawyers has handled cases exactly like yours, and we can help your family, too. Let us begin working on your case now to ensure you receive financial compensation from recovering your damages.
This facility is a "for-profit" 120-certified bed long term care center providing, and services to residents of Pinellas Park and Pinellas County, Florida. The Medicare and Medicaid-participating home is located at:
8600 US Hwy 19 N
Pinellas Park, Florida 33782
(727) 541-7515
Gateway Care Center/
In addition to providing 24/7 skilled nursing care, Gateway Care Center offers other services. Additional focused care includes short-term and long term care.
The facility also provides comprehensive rehab services involving internal case management, respiratory therapy, orthopedic care, neurological care involving Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis, and patient education. Additional services involved rehabilitation, including physical, speech and occupational therapies.
Fined $162,844 for substandard care
Both the federal government and the state of Florida can impose monetary fines or deny payments through Medicare of any nursing facility that has been found to have violated the established nursing home rules and regulations.
Within the last three years, investigators imposed two monetary penalties against Gateway Care Center, citing substandard care. These penalties include a $4,419 fine on January 11, 2019, and a $158,425 fine on October 11, 2016, for a total of $162,844.
The nursing home received nine complaints over the last three years that resulted in a violation citation. Additional information concerning the facility can be reviewed on the comprehensive Florida Adult Protective Services Website.
Call (800) 926-7565 Toll-Free for a No Obligation Consultation
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 one out of five stars, including two out of five stars concerning health inspections, three out of five stars for staffing issues, and one out of five stars for quality measures.
The state investigators determined that the nursing home “failed to provide the least restrictive alternative to physical restraints and document the assessment and ongoing evaluation of the need for restraints.” The state investigators observed the resident lying in bed.
The resident’s bed had “rounded bolsters on both sides of [the resident]. The bolsters extended from [the resident’s] headboard to the footboard on both sides of the mattress.” The resident “was on one-on-one supervision and also had a bed alarm underneath his back.”
A Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) stated, “I think he has the type of bed because he tries to get up out of bed and he cannot walk, so he falls.” A Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) stated: “I am not really sure why he has the type of mattress, but he has had it since I have been here.”
The North Unit Manager stated, “I am not exactly sure why he has this type of mattress, I should know, but I can find out.” The manager also stated that “the bolstered sides of the mattress were firm and could not be removed from the mattress.”
The investigators reviewed the resident’s clinical records, including a Physician’s order for one-fourth side rails for an enabler.” A subsequent Physician’s order dated five months later indicated to add a “bed alarm to alert the staff of rising due to poor safety awareness, check placement, and function every shift.”
The resident also had a Physician’s order to “be on one-on-one supervision while away, every fifteen-minutes check while asleep.” The resident’s MDS (Minimum Data Set) Assessment indicated that the cognitively impaired resident was completely dependent on the staff for “bed mobility, transfers, dressing, eating, toilet use, and personal hygiene.”
The facility MDS Coordinator/Care Plan Manager stated, “I added the scoop mattress intervention today because the Director of Nursing came to me and asked if I put his mattress on the Care Plan as an intervention.” The Director of Nursing confirmed that there was no Physician’s order for a restraining mattress. The facility Administrator stated “[the resident] was not supposed to have that type of mattress.”
Were you the victim of mistreatment, neglect, or abuse while living at Gateway Care Center? Contact the Florida nursing home abuse prevention lawyers at Nursing Home Law Center at (800) 926-7565 for immediate legal intervention. We represent Pinellas County victims of abuse and neglect in all areas, including Pinellas Park.
Our legal team never charges potential clients to discuss your case through an initial claim consultation. Also, we offer a 100% “No Win/No-Fee” Guarantee, meaning you will not owe us any money unless we have received a monetary recovery on your behalf.
Sources:
Attorney Blair N. Mendes, Esq.
Licensed in Florida
Chicago Nursing Home Injury Lawyer Nursing Home Law Center LLC Home