Do you suspect that your loved one living in a nursing facility is being mistreated, neglect or abused? Do you believe that the harm is coming from caregivers, employees, visitors, and other patients? If so, it is important to serve as your loved one’s advocate to protect them from further mistreatment.
The Kentucky Nursing Home Law Center attorneys represent Nicholas County nursing home victims and can help your family too. Let us begin working on your case today to ensure your family receives adequate monetary compensation for your damages. We use the law to hold those responsible for the harm both legally and financially accountable.
This Medicare/Medicaid-participating long-term care (LTC) center is a "for profit" 104-certified bed home providing cares to residents of Carlisle and Nicholas County, Kentucky. The facility is located at:
2323 Concrete Road
Carlisle, Kentucky, 40311
(859) 289-3492
Johnson Mathers Nursing Home
In addition to providing around-the-clock skilled nursing care, Johnson Mathers Nursing Home offers other cares and services that include:
Both the federal government and the state of Kentucky have the legal responsibility to levy monetary fines or deny payments through Medicare if a nursing home has violated established regulations that harm or could have harmed residents.
Within the last three years, regulatory agencies imposed a massive $214,227 monetary penalty against Johnson Mathers Nursing Home on November 22, 2016, citing substandard care. Also, the nursing home received five formally filed complaints that all resulted in citations. Additional information about penalties and fines can be found on the Kentucky Department of Health Care Nursing Home Reporting Website concerning this nursing facility.
Information on every intermediate and long-term care home in the state can be reviewed online on Medicare.gov and the Kentucky Department of Public Health website. These regulatory agencies routinely update the comprehensive list of health violations and dangerous hazards on facilities statewide.
According to Medicare, this facility maintains an overall rating of one out of five stars, including one out of five stars concerning health inspections, one out of five stars for staffing issues and one out of five stars for quality measures. The Nicholas County neglect attorneys at the Nursing Home Law Center have found serious deficiencies and safety concerns at Johnson Mathers Nursing Home that include:
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated August 18, 2016, the state investigators documented that the facility had failed to “ensure the resident environment remained as free from accident hazards as possible. Observation on the environmental tour of the facility on August 17, 2016, revealed the front cover of the baseboard electric wall heater in Room 120 behind resident Bed A was not intact and electrical cords from both beds A and B were in contact with the sharp metal heater coils.”
The surveyor’s findings included an interview with the facility Administrator who revealed “there was no written policy related to maintenance or repairs to their heater units. The facility provided a written statement which said ‘No policy. All on Preventative Maintenance schedule for service and are fixed as needed.’”
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated August 18, 2016, a state investigator noted the nursing home's failure to “establish and maintain an infection control program designed to provide a safe, sanitary and comfortable environment and to help prevent the development and transmission of disease and infection.”
The survey team observed the staff on August 17, 2016, who “failed to properly sanitize a glucometer (medical device for determining the approximate concentration of glucose in the blood).” Also, the surveyors observed suprapubic catheter care and peri-care on the same day that revealed a State Registered Nurse Aide (SRNA) “used improper infection control techniques. Observation [on that same day] revealed two medication carts had a Medication Refrigerator [that] was soiled and in need of cleaning.”
The surveyors also observed a resident’s oxygen tubing on August 1, 2016, that “was not labeled with the resident identification, dated or bagged for storage.” The survey team reviewed the facility’s policy titled: The Infection Control Program that reads in part:
“The infection control program provides a safe, sanitary, and comfortable environment to prevent the development and transmission of disease and infection.”
“The program is under the direction of Infection Control Quality Improvement and directed by the facility’s Executive Quality Improvement Committee.”
“The Infection Control Preventionist is under the direction of the Infection Control Committee or Administrator, or designee, and responsible [for making] periodic grounds to monitor infection control practices related to resident care delivery.”
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated February 12, 2016, the state investigators documented that the nursing home “failed to ensure services were provided [by] each resident’s written Comprehensive Care Plan for one resident.”
In one case, a resident’s Comprehensive Care Plan revised on June 12, 2015, revealed that the resident “was to be transferred with a Sabina Lift and a medium sling with the assistance of two staff members with every transfer.”
However, on February 5, 2016, the resident’s “Care Plan was not implemented for the Sabina lift and staff transferred the resident using a gait belt and a ‘stand and pivot’ maneuver transfer with the assistance of two staff members.” As a result, the resident’s “left lower leg sustained swelling and discoloration and the resident was having leg pain with movement.” The resident was transferred to the local hospital emergency room.
The survey team reviewed the resident’s Comprehensive Plan of Care revised on September 23, 2014, that revealed a goal that stated that “the resident would be free of serious injuries from falls. There were several interventions including fall mats on the floor beside the bed, and nonskid socks use.”
The Comprehensive Care Plan was revised on June 12, 2015, to reveal that the resident “requires assistance with transferring from the bed to the evolution share because the resident did not remember to transfer with help. The goal stated the resident would be transferred with two staff members with the use of the mechanical lift with every transfer.”
A review of the resident’s Annual MDS (Minimum Data Set) Assessment and Brief Interview for Mental Status (BIMS) show that the severely cognitively impaired resident requires “total assistance of two staff for bed mobility and transfers and as ambulation not occurring.”
A review of the facility’s Incident/Accident Report dated February 6, 2016, revealed that the day earlier between the hours of 8:00 PM and 9:00 PM “two staff transferred [the resident] to bed without the use of the Sabina Lift. Per the report, during the transfer, [the resident] seemed normal without signs or symptoms of pain noticed, including no bruising and no swelling noticed after the transfer.” The report revealed, “some swelling and discoloration to [the resident’s] left leg was noticed [that day] at 4:00 AM and the resident said ‘Ouch’ when he/she was assisting with turning.”
The nursing staff treated the resident’s pain with Tylenol administered at 4:00 AM with an order by the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse who was notified again “after a call was placed to the resident’s family, who requested an x-ray of [the resident’s] left lower leg and an order was obtained for an x-ray.”
The Advanced Practice Registered Nurse gave orders to “perform a Duplex Doctor Study to rule out an embolism or blood clot.” Another entry into the Nurse’s Notes, dated February 6, 2016, at 6:14 AM completed by in Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) “revealed a new order was obtained for an x-ray. A nurse’s note showed that the resident expressed “facial grimacing” when their “left leg was touched.”
The hospital emergency room a valuation and x-ray diagnosed the resident with an acute fracture of the tibia and fibula bones. At that time, the Physician “notified Adult Protective Services given the severity of the fracture and a bedbound patient at the nursing facility were no known mechanism had been reported.”
During the review, it was revealed that Orthopedic Service “was consulted and determined [that the resident] did not require surgical intervention and could be discharged back to the facility without patient follow up.” However, the resident’s son who was also the Power of Attorney “did not wish to send [the resident] back to the previous [Johnson Mathers Nursing Home] facility given the unclear circumstances of the resident’s sustained left lower leg fractures.”
Do you suspect that your loved one has suffered harm through abuse, neglect or mistreatment while living at Johnson Mathers Nursing Home? If so, contact the Kentucky nursing home abuse lawyers at Nursing Home Law Center at (800) 926-7565 now for immediate legal intervention. Our network of attorneys fights aggressively on behalf of Nicholas County victims of mistreatment living in long-term facilities including nursing homes in Carlisle. Contact us now to schedule a free case review to discuss how to obtain justice and resolve a financial compensation claim.
For years, our attorneys have successfully resolved nursing home abuse cases just like yours. Our experience can ensure a positive outcome in your claim for compensation against those that caused your loved one harm. We accept every case involving nursing home abuse, wrongful death or personal injury through a contingency fee arrangement. This agreement will postpone payment of our legal services until after our lawyers have resolved your case through a negotiated settlement or jury trial award.
We provide all clients a “No Win/No-Fee” Guarantee, meaning you owe us nothing if we are unable to obtain compensation on your behalf. Let our team begin working on your case today to ensure you receive adequate compensation. All the 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