Many families must decide to entrust the management of care provided to their loved one to a nursing facility staff. Unfortunately, mistreatment is a serious problem at many nursing homes nationwide including and McKinley County. Caregivers, employees, visitors and other patients victimized residents through physical and sexual assault the development of bedsores or injuries from falls.If your loved one was injured at a nursing facility, contact the New Mexico Nursing Home Law Center attorneys now for immediate help. Let our team of lawyers handle your case to ensure you receive monetary compensation for your damages.
This nursing home is a Medicare and Medicaid-participating "for profit" center providing cares and services to residents of Gallup and McKinley County, New Mexico. The 62-certified bed nursing facility is located at:
306 E Nizhoni Blvd
Gallup, New Mexico 87301
(505) 863-9551
McKinley Center
In addition to providing 24/7 skilled nursing care, McKinley Center offers other services. These services include pain management, wound care, dementia care, colostomy care, intravenous (IV) therapy, respite care, palliative care, hospice, and restorative services including occupational, physical and speech therapies.
The federal government, through nursing home regulatory agencies, can impose fines or deny payment for Medicare services for any nursing facility with severe violations of rules and regulations. Typically, hefty fines are levied against the nursing home when the most egregious violations have occurred that harmed or could harm a resident.
Over the last thirty-six months, federal investigators imposed a $10,075 fine against McKinley Center on August 11, 2017, citing substandard care. During that time, the facility received one formally filed complaint that resulted in a citation. Additional information concerning the facility can be reviewed on the New Mexico Department of Health Nursing Home Reporting Website.
The state of New Mexico and the federal government regularly updates their long-term care home database system with complete details of all deficiencies, citations, and violations.
According to Medicare, this facility maintains an overall rating of two out of five stars, including three out of five stars concerning health inspections, three out of five stars for staffing issues and one out of five stars for quality measures.
According to investigators, “the facility failed to provide pressure ulcer dressing changes for [two residents].” This “deficient practice is likely to result in wound worsening and not healing or new pressure ulcer/non-pressure ulcers from developing.”
The investigative team interviewed the Assistant Director of Nursing who stated that “the Director of Nursing was responsible for changing [that resident’s] right heel dressing daily.” The Assistant Director stated, “he was responsible for changing [the resident’s] right heel dressing once per week [to] complete the pressure ulcer assessment including measurements.” The Assistant Director verified that the wound was inaccurately documented in the resident’s medical records.
The nursing home “failed to ensure that [one resident] reviewed for unnecessary medications had clinical indications for the use of antipsychotic medication.” This same resident’s “targeted behaviors were not being monitored to allow for the lowest possible dose. This [deficient practice] created the potential for the resident to experience adverse side effects and decrease the quality of life.”
The survey team interviewed the Director of Nursing and asked the “reason/behavior the resident was administered as needed [an antipsychotic medication.” The Director stated that “an agency nurse administered the medication and there is no way to contact her.” The surveyors asked if “behavior which requires the use of as needed antipsychotic medication should be documented?” The Assistant Director said, “Yes.”
The surveyors asked if the antipsychotic medication “intermuscular administration would be considered unnecessary medication since there is no indication for the use documented in the clinical record?” The Director replied that “it was an as needed medication and acknowledged there was no documentation as for the reason the medication had been administered.”
The Director stated that the resident was receiving the medication for “Yelling and refusing medications” behavior but verified that there were no behavior monitoring log or side effects monitoring log found during the time the resident was given the medication.
Was your loved one mistreated while residing at McKinley Center? Contact the New Mexico nursing home abuse attorneys at Nursing Home Law Center at (800) 926-7565 for immediate legal intervention. We represent McKinley victims of abuse and neglect in all areas including Gallup.
Discuss your case with us now through an initial case consultation at no charge to you. Also, we offer a 100% “No Win/No-Fee” Guarantee. This promise means we postpone payment for our services until after we have secured monetary recovery on your behalf. All information you share with our law offices will remain confidential.
Sources:
Carl R. Wilander, Esq.
Licensed in New Mexico
Chicago Nursing Home Injury Lawyer Nursing Home Law Center LLC Home