Every staff member working in a nursing facility has a legal and ethical responsibility to provide each resident with the highest level of care according to established standards of quality. Unfortunately, many nursing facilities do not follow established procedures and protocols that prevent injuries, accidents, and the development of life-threatening pressure wounds.If you suspect that your loved one was victimized through neglect or abuse while living in a Worcester County nursing facility, the Massachusetts Nursing Home Law Center attorneys can help. Let our team of abuse prevention lawyers work on your family’s behalf to ensure you receive financial compensation for your damages.
This nursing home is a Medicare and Medicaid-participating "for-profit" center providing cares and services to residents of Auburn and Worcester County, Massachusetts. The 154-certified bed nursing facility is located at:
14 Masonic Circle
Auburn, Massachusetts 01501
(508) 832-4800
Life Care Center of Auburn Nursing Home
In addition to providing 24/7 skilled nursing care, Life Care Center of Auburn Nursing Home offers other services. Additional focused care includes inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation.
The investigators working for the state of Massachusetts and the federal government have the legal authority to impose monetary fines and deny payment for Medicare services if the nursing home has been cited for serious violations of established regulations and rules.
Additional documentation concerning penalties and fines can be reviewed on the Executive Office of Elder Affairs Website.
To ensure families are fully informed of the level of care every nursing home provides, the state of Massachusetts and Medicare.com routinely update their long-term care home database systems with info on violations, citations, and deficiencies.
According to Medicare, this facility maintains an overall rating of two out of five stars, including two out of five stars concerning health inspections, three out of five stars for staffing issues and three out of five stars for quality measures.
The state investigators determined “the facility staff failed to follow the Plan of Care for [one resident] by failing to obtain a stop date for [blood thinning medication] injections per Physician’s orders.”
The survey team reviewed the Pharmacy Consultation Report indicating “a recommendation to clarify [the drug ordered] by adding a potential stop date or discontinuing the medication if the individual’s condition warrants.” A review of the Orthopedic Consultation from the same time indicated that “the resident did not have weight-bearing restrictions and he/she was to continue with physical therapy, strengthening, range of motion, and gait training.”
The Unit Manager stated that “the staff should have called the orthopedic Physician regarding the [blood thinner] order.” Subsequently, the following day, the Unit Manager said, “she received a call from the orthopedic Physician’s office and [the thinning blood drug] was discontinued” eliminating an unnecessary medication.
The staff of the nursing home failed to ensure that the facility “was free of a medication error rate of less than 5%. One of four licensed nurses made errors while administering medication. [Two errors affected one resident] with thirty opportunities for error.” This mistake translated to “an error rate of 6.6%.”
During an observation of a medication pass, a surveyor observed one nurse pouring “a chewable baby aspirin (81 mg) into a clear medication cup and administer it to [a resident while omitting the resident’s high blood pressure] medication” according to Physician’s orders.
During reconciliation of the Physician’s orders, the surveyors conducted a further review that indicated that the medication “was never transcribed into the August 2016, Medication Administration Record. Therefore, the resident had not received the medication as ordered for the entire month.”
On August 24, 2016, during an interview, the nurse said that “she gave the chewable baby aspirin in error and should have given the extended-release aspirin.” The nurse said that “she did not know that the [resident] was supposed to be given [high blood pressure medication] because it was not written on the Medication Administration Record.”
Do you believe that your loved one is the victim of mistreatment, abuse, or neglect while living at Life Care Center of Auburn Nursing Home? Contact the Massachusetts nursing home abuse lawyers at Nursing Home Law Center at (800) 926-7565 for immediate legal intervention. We represent Worcester County victims of abuse and neglect in all areas, including Auburn.
Our network of attorneys provides every potential client an initial free case consultation. Also, we offer a 100% “No Win/No-Fee” Guarantee, meaning you do not owe us any money until we have received a monetary recovery on your behalf. All information you share with our law offices will remain confidential.
Sources:
Chicago Nursing Home Injury Attorney Nursing Home Law Center LLC Home