Do you suspect that the care that the nursing staff provided at your loved one’s Polk County nursing home failed to meet professional standards of quality? Do you believe that your loved one is the victim of mistreatment, neglect or abuse or was injured by caregivers, employees or other residents? If so, the nursing home might not be following established federal and state statutes that require them to comply with specific protocols, procedures, and policies.
The Tennessee Nursing Home Law Center attorneys have represented many families in the state whose loved one was injured by other residents or those entrusted to provide them care. Let our team of lawyers assist your family in obtaining financial recovery for your damages and take immediate legal action to hold those at fault for hurting your loved one accountable. We can begin working on your case now.
This long-term care (LTC) home is a 135-certified bed center providing cares and services to residents of Ducktown and Polk County, Tennessee. The Medicare/Medicaid-participating "for profit" facility is located at:
166 Copper Basin Industrial Park
Ducktown, Tennessee, 37326
(423) 496-3245
In addition to providing 24/7 skilled nursing care, Life Care Center of Copper Basin also offers clinical services and rehabilitative care.
Both the federal government and the state of Tennessee 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, Life Care Center of Copper Basin was fined by the federal government on April 20, 2016, for $14,430.
Additionally, the Nursing Home received one formally filed complaint within the last thirty-six months. Additional information concerning penalties and fines can be found on the Tennessee Department of Health Nursing Home Reporting Website concerning this nursing facility.
Families can review publically available data on every long-term and intermediate care facility in Tennessee by visiting numerous state and federal government databases including the Medicare.gov website and the TN Department of Public Health website. This data is a valuable tool to use when choosing the best location to place a loved one who needs the highest level of services and care in a safe environment.
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 Polk County neglect attorneys at Nursing Home Law Center have found serious deficiencies and safety concerns at Life Care Center of Copper Basin that include:
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated May 31, 2018, the state survey team documented that the facility had “failed to provide an evaluation a rationale for continued use of as needed antianxiety an antipsychotic medication beyond fourteen days.” The deficient practice by the nursing staff involved one resident reviewed for unnecessary medications.” The surveyors reviewed the facility policy titled: Psychopharmacological Medication Management revised August 23, 2017, that reads in part:
“Unnecessary medications: Residents who use these drugs receive gradual dose reduction in an effort to discontinue. Limited as needed drug orders to fourteen days. If an extension is needed, attending physician or prescribing practitioner documents rationale and medical records and indicates the duration of as needed order.”
The survey team reviewed the resident’s medical records and physician’s Recapitulation Orders dated August 30, 2018, that revealed the resident was taking antianxiety drugs at 1 mg every four hours as needed and antipsychotic medications every four hours as needed. However, a review of the resident’s Admissions MDS (Minimum Data Set) dated May 2, 2018, revealed the resident “had exhibited no adverse behaviors during the assessment period.”
A review of the resident’s pharmacist consultation for gradual dose reduction dated May 17, 2018, “twenty three days after the start date, revealed the physician declined the recommendation with no rationale documented.” The investigative team interviewed the Director of Nursing on May 31, 2018, who “confirmed the [as needed antianxiety and antipsychotic medications” were given to the resident “beyond fourteen days without evaluation a review by the physician.”
During an interview with the Medical Records Manager on May 31, 2018, it was confirmed that “there was no documentation or rationale for the continuation of the as needed” antipsychotic and antianxiety medications “beyond the fourteen days.”
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated May 31, 2018, a state investigator noted the facility’s failure to “maintain contact isolation to prevent the spread of infection.” The deficient practice by the nursing staff involved one resident “reviewed with contact isolation.” The investigative team reviewed the facility’s policy titled: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for Residents & Visitors dated August 10, 2017, that reads in part:
“Personal protective equipment (PPE) is utilized as needed for the protection of residents, staff, and visitors. Education is provided to residents and responsible parties regarding infection control. Staff will encourage and assist visitors as needed to assess appropriate personal protective equipment.”
The investigators observed a resident’s room on the morning of May 31, 2018, that revealed to family members “in the room with no PPE gloves or gown being used. Continued observations revealed the daughter had a camera in her left hand, and she used the right hand to touch the resident’s sheets, overbed table, and the resident, occasionally moving the camera from the left hand to the right hand. Continued observation revealed the family members failed to sanitize their hands.”
The investigators interviewed a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) within a few minutes who was “outside of the resident’s room.” The LPN “confirmed she had not talked to the family members and instructed them to follow the posted precautions.” The investigators interviewed the resident’s daughter and grandson along with the Licensed Practical Nurse and the Director of Nursing outside of the resident’s room.
The interview revealed that “the daughter and the grandson stated they were told by staff the previous evening the [isolation precaution] process did not include family members. The doctor confirmed she was touching the resident and objects in his room. We wash her hands before we came in and will wash her hands before we leave. The Director of Nursing educated the daughter and grandson to wear gloves and gowns to protect others.”
A continued interview revealed that the Director of Nursing “confirm that the facility policy stated visitors are to wear gowns and gloves to maintain contact isolation and prevent the spread of infection, and the facility’s policies had not been followed.”
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated August 13, 2018, the state investigative team noted the facility’s failure to “notify the Responsible Party of a change in physical status and treatment plan for [one resident] reviewed for wound management.” The investigators reviewed the resident’s Quarterly MDS (Minimum Data Set) that revealed that the resident “was severely cognitively impaired, required assistance of two persons for all Activities of Daily Living and had chronic wounds to the right hip and right great toe.”
A review of the resident’s Physician’s Progress Notes dated July 15, 2018, revealed that the “responsible party [notification of] the change in treatment” did not occur until 19 days later on August 3, 2018.” The surveyors interviewed the Director of Nursing who confirmed that “the facility failed to notify the responsible party for [the resident’s] of a change in the resident’s treatment plan timely.”
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated August 13, 2018, the state investigators documented that the facility had failed to “follow physician’s orders for [one resident] reviewed for wound management.” The investigators reviewed the resident’s quarterly MDS (Minimum Data Set) that revealed that the resident “was severely, cognitively impaired and required assistance of two persons for all Activities of Daily Living and had chronic wounds to the right hip and great right toe.”
During an interview with the Director of Nursing, it was confirmed that “the facility failed to follow physician’s orders timely for wound care consult.”
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated May 31, 2018, the state survey team documented that the nursing home had failed to “notify the physician of laboratory results.” The deficient practice by the nursing staff involved one resident of thirty-eight residents reviewed.
The investigative team reviewed the resident’s medical records and physician’s orders. These reviews included a Urinalysis with Culture and Sensitivity Report dated May 24, 2018, that revealed the resident had “greater than 100,000 cf. you/mL (colony forming units per leader – the number of bacteria in 1 mm) of faecalis (bacteria known were found in the intestinal tract). Continued review revealed no signature indicating the physician had reviewed the results.”
Surveyors interviewed a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) providing the resident care who confirmed the physician’s orders and test results. The LPN also confirmed that there was “no notation that the physician had reviewed the laboratory results or issued orders to treat the urinary tract infection.” During an interview with the Director of Nursing, it was confirmed that “the nursing staff was expected to ensure the physicians were made aware of the laboratory results.”
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated May 31, 2018, the state survey team documented that the nursing home had failed to “complete a Discharge MDS (Minimum Data Set) assessment for one resident reviewed for discharge from the facility.” The survey team reviewed the resident’s Medical Records that revealed a “5-day admission assessment was completed. However, no further MDS assessment had been completed.”
The investigators interviewed the MDS Registered Nurse who confirmed that the resident was “sent out to the hospital … and did not return to the facility.” During the interview, it was confirmed that “a discharge MDS assessment had not been completed when [the resident] was discharged to the hospital.”
If your loved one is suffering from mistreatment while living as a resident at Life Care Center of Copper Basin, Tennessee nursing home abuse and neglect attorneys at Nursing Home Law Center at (800) 926-7565 can help. Our network of attorneys fights aggressively on behalf of Polk County victims of mistreatment living in long-term facilities including nursing homes in Ducktown.
Our experienced attorneys provide victims of nursing home abuse the legal representation they need against all those who caused them harm. Our network of attorneys can offer numerous legal options on how to proceed to obtain the financial compensation your family deserves. Contact us now to schedule a free case review to discuss how to obtain justice and resolve a financial compensation claim. We can begin working on you claim to ensure your rights are protected.
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 can begin representing you in your case today to ensure you receive adequate monetary recovery for your damages. All information you share with our law offices will remain confidential.
Attorney Cameron Jehl
Licensed in Tennessee
Tennessee Nursing Home Injury Lawyer Nursing Home Law Center LLC Home