Unfortunately, many residents in nursing facilities become the victim of mistreatment, neglect or abuse at the hands of caregivers or another resident. Sometimes, the nursing home fails to follow appropriate hiring practices and instead employed Nurses and Nurse’s Aides that provide substandard care.
If your loved one suffered abuse or mistreatment, the Tennessee Nursing Home Law Center Attorneys can provide immediate legal intervention. Our team of lawyers has represented many Cocke County nursing home residents to ensure they are adequately compensated for their financial damages. We use state and federal law to hold those responsible for harm to ensure they are held legally and financially accountable. Let us begin working on your case now.
This long-term care (LTC) facility is a 56-certified bed "for profit" home providing services and cares to residents of Newport and Cocke County, Tennessee. The Medicaid-participating center is located at:
450 College St.
Newport, Tennessee, 37821
(423) 625-2195
In addition to providing skilled nursing care, Tennova Newport Convalescent Center also offers:
The investigators working for the state of Tennessee 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.
Within the last three years, the government has not fined Tennova Newport Convalescent Center. Additional documentation about fines and penalties can be found on the Tennessee Department of Health Nursing Home Reporting Website concerning this nursing facility.
Our attorneys review data on every long-term and intermediate care facility in Tennessee. Families can obtain the same publically-available information by visiting numerous state and federal government databases including the TN Department of Public Health website and Medicare.gov. 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 Cocke County neglect attorneys at Nursing Home Law Center have found serious deficiencies and safety concerns at Tennova Newport Convalescent Center that include:
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated January 19, 2017, a state investigator noted the nursing home's failure to “maintain infection control precautions for [one resident] in isolation precautions of twenty-five sampled residents.” The investigators reviewed the facility’s policy titled: Precautions last revised on April 21, 2016, that reads in part:
“Purpose: To interrupt the spread of infection by controlling transmission of highly infectious pathogens.”
“Isolation Categories: Contact Precautions: In addition to Standard Universal Precautions, use Contact Precautions for patients known or suspected to have serious illnesses, easily transmitted by direct patient contact or by contact with items in the patient’s environment.”
“Patient Placement: a private room or in a room with a patient with the same infection with the same microorganism but with no other infection.”
The state survey team reviewed the resident’s medical records and physician’s orders that provided the nursing staff education on “contact isolation for [Clostridium difficile] (an intestinal bacterial infection which is highly contagious) to a resident and his family member.” Also, the resident had a physician’s order over the telephone to receive dated January 16, 2017, that instructed the nursing staff to place the resident in contact isolation.
The surveyors observed the resident during an initial tour at the facility that day and saw “a sign outside of the resident’s room [stating] Contact Isolation.” Further observations over the next two days revealed that the resident “remained in contact isolation and remained housed in a room with two other residents.”
The investigators interviewed the Director of Nursing who confirmed that the resident was diagnosed with Clostridium difficile and confirmed that the resident “was not moved into a private room and remained in the same room with two residents who did not have [Clostridium difficile].” The Director confirmed that “the facility failed to follow the facility policy.”
“Decontaminating hands after contact with inanimate objects (including medical equipment) in the immediate vicinity of the patient.”
The surveyors observed a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) on the morning of January 12, 2016 “during breakfast meal service on the back hall.” At that time, the CNA “delivered a breakfast tray to the resident’s room and place the tray on the resident’s overbed table.” Further observation revealed that the CNA “repositioned the resident, touching the incontinence pad with bare hands and without disinfecting the hands.”
The CNA was then observed in the process “to set up the resident’s meal tray by opening or milk carton, unwrapping the eating utensils and the straw, and placed the straw in the milk.” A few minutes later, the same CNA was observed in a different resident’s room while moving “the floor mat with bare hands without disinfecting the hands, wet a washcloth, and wiped the resident’s face.”
The surveyors interviewed the CNA who confirmed that she “failed to follow hand hygiene by not washing hands before setting up of the meal tray and before washing the resident’s face.”
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated January 13, 2016, the state survey team noted that the nursing home had failed to “store prepare foods in a sanitary manner for forty-three of forty-seven residents in the facility.” The investigators reviewed the facility policy on preparing and storing food, the Uniform Dress Code Policy revised in January 2015 and the Kitchen Cleaning Chart Facility policy that read in part:
“All product labels must be filled out [before] refrigeration or storage. Record the date of the product was prepared or opened on. At the expiration date. Initials of the person responsible for labeling the product [must be performed].”
“Wear approved care restraint when on duty.”
“Clean and sanitize all small equipment.”
The survey team observed the kitchen supervisor after dinner time on January 11, 2016 “in the dry storage room.” Additional observations revealed numerous food items including a large pan of pinto beans, a bag of granola, and a bag of vanilla wafers that were all opened and undated. Also, there were individually wrapped fruits and three trays of food items that were unlabeled and undated including turnovers, chocolate macadamia cookies, chocolate scones, peanut butter cookies, cut pastries, oatmeal raisin cookies, and many pie shells.”
The surveyors also observed expired foods including protein mix, cereals, lemon cake mix, bread crumbs, a bag of almonds, a bag of cilantro and others.
The investigators interviewed the registered dietitian in the kitchen on the morning of January 12, 2016, who revealed that the dietitian “should wear a hairnet as well.” During an interview with the Assistant Director of Food Services a few minutes later, it was confirmed that “the facility failed to label and date prepared and opened foods, to monitor expired foods, and to maintain sanitary kitchen equipment.”
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated January 19, 2017, the state investigators documented that the facility had failed to “provide dental services for three residents reviewed for dental services of twenty-five sampled residents.” The investigators reviewed the facility’s policy titled: Oral Health Program that was last revised on March 2003 that reads in part:
“Residents will be provided with comprehensive diagnostic dental treatment embracing a system that assures that each resident is reexamined as needed, but at least once a year.”
The survey team reviewed the resident’s medical records and Nurse’s Documentation dated November 23, 2016, that noted a “new order to ask the dentist to check and to replace a partial plate.”
The investigators observed and interviewed a resident on the morning of January 18, 2017, in the resident’s room and saw the resident’s “dental bridge in a plastic bag on the resident’s overbed table.” During the interview with the resident was revealed that “they tell me someone is coming (to fix my bridge), but I have not seen anyone yet.” The resident said this problem has been “going on for a few months now.”
As a part of the investigation, the surveyors reviewed past nurses documentations including one dated October 2, 2016, that revealed that the resident’s “lower dentures were out this morning.” The resident stated, ‘I opened my plastic case with them (dentures) inside and they fell out on the floor and broke.’” The resident stated on the morning of January 18, 2017, that “they keep saying they are getting someone in here to fix my bottom dentures, but have not.” The resident said that “the dentures (had been broken for two months.”
The surveyors interviewed the registered dietitian at the facility the next day on January 19, 2017, who revealed that the resident’s “dentures had been broken for some time.” The Administrator and Social Worker stated later that afternoon that they were aware that the resident’s “bridge was broken and was aware that [another resident’s] was broken.”
The Administrator and Social Worker also confirmed that “a local dentist would see residents if the facility would provide transportation to the dental office and the facility failed to arrange transportation for [both residents].”
The documentation shows that the dentures were “placed back in a cup. Will have the dentist look at them tomorrow while [they are] here.”
A third resident with dental problems “was seen by a dentist and the resident requested to have his remaining teeth to be pulled and that he wanted a full set of dentures.” The documentation shows a referral for “social services to explore the options for having teeth extracted and the purchase of dentures.” A review of the social services notes in the resident’s medical records dated July 20, 2016 “revealed dental services for teeth extraction was scheduled for August 18, 2016.”
The investigators say that the “patient wants teeth removed and dentures placed.” However, during an observation of the resident on January 18, 2017, in their room, it was “revealed that the resident was missing multiple upper and lower teeth.” As a part of the investigation, the survey team interviewed the resident and the Director of Nursing on January 19, 2017.” It was revealed that the resident “had been seen by a dentist but had never come back” for a followup to receive care.
The Social Worker and Director of Nursing confirmed that the resident “was seen by a dentist on June 26, 2016, and had requested to have the remaining teeth pulled and dentures made.” During the interview, it was confirmed that the resident “was seen again by a dentist on September 18, 2016 [three months later], and requested again to have the training teeth pulled and dentures made.” During the interview was confirmed that “the facility failed to provide transportation for requested dental services for [that resident].”
If your loved one has been injured or harmed while living at Tennova Newport Convalescent Center, call the Tennessee nursing home abuse and neglect lawyers at Nursing Home Law Center at (800) 926-7565 now. Our network of attorneys fights aggressively on behalf of Cocke County victims of mistreatment living in long-term facilities including nursing homes in Newport.
Our skillful attorneys have successfully resolved many victim cases involving nursing home abuse and neglect. We can work on your behalf to ensure your family receives the financial compensation they deserve. Contact us now to schedule a free case review to discuss how to obtain justice and resolve a financial compensation claim. Let us begin working on your behalf to ensure your rights are protected.
We accept every case involving nursing home abuse, wrongful death or personal injury through a contingency fee agreement. This arrangement postpones making upfront payments for our legal services until after we have successfully resolved your compensation claim through a negotiated settlement or jury trial award. We can begin working on your case today to ensure your family receives 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