Recently, Twins Rivers Nursing and Rehab Center was cited by CMS and the state of Kentucky for multiple violations that caused harm or could have caused harm, to the Home’s residents. Removal from the list could take months or years even if the corrections are made immediately. Twin Rivers will need to undergo multiple scheduled surveys and unannounced inspections to assure the Federal and State governments that the corrections they have made and improvements to their policies, procedures and guidelines are permanent.
These regulators take every effort to ensure that each resident receives the highest level of health and hygiene care and assistance with their activities of daily living. Should the facility be unable or unwilling to make adjustments and corrections, the administration and owners might be required to sell the facility to another operator in the nursing industry in good standing.
This facility provides cares and services to the residents of Owensboro and Daviess County, Kentucky. The rehab center is located at:
2420 W. Third St.
Owensboro, KY 42301
(270) 685-3141
In addition to providing long-term and short-term skilled and restorative nursing services, the home also offers rehabilitation care (physical, occupational and speech therapies), swallowing management care, postoperative care, wound care, orthopedic recovery care palliative care, respite care, and respiratory therapy.
Serious violations identified by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and Kentucky state investigators can result in severe financial penalties if the violations are determined to have caused harm or could have caused harm to residents. Since April 2015, Twin Rivers Nursing and Rehab Center has received two monetary fines including $39,845 on April 30, 2015, and $314,990 on May 20, 2016.
Medicare, Medicaid, and state nursing home regulatory agencies routinely update their star rating summary system and post the information on the federal Medicare.gov website. The data is useful for families interested in determining the best nursing home to place a loved one who requires the highest level of care. When evaluating the level of care Twin Rivers Nursing and Rehab Center (SFF) provides residents compared to all other nursing facilities nationwide, this facility ranks low.
According to the website, this facility maintains an overall one out of five stars. This ranking includes one out of five stars for health inspections, three out of five stars out of five stars for staffing and three out of five stars for quality measures. Some of the safety concerns include:
Failure to Provide Every Resident Environment Free of Accident Hazards
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated June 30, 2017, the state investigator noted that the facility had failed to “provide an environment that is free of accident hazards as is possible. Observations on June 28, 2017, revealed [two] medication cards were left unlocked and unsupervised.” At the time of the observation, “there were 14 residents who wandered in the facility.” Also, an observation made on June 27, 2017 “revealed the sink in Room 451 to be loosely attached to the wall.”
The State surveyor made observations at 8:58 AM on June 28, 2017, where two medication cards (one in the West Hall and one in the South Hall) “were left unlocked and unsupervised.” An interview conducted with the facility License Practical Nurse revealed that “the medication cards are supposed to be locked when not in use.” This problem was verified by the Medication Technician who stated that “the medication cards should be locked when not in use and left unsupervised.”
An interview with the facility’s Director of Nursing midafternoon on June 29, 2017, revealed that “she expected the medication card to be locked when not in use and/or unsupervised.” This problem was verified by the facility Administrator the same afternoon who said that “he expected the medication cards to remain locked when not used.”
The facility was reminded that they failed to follow their May 2016 policy titled: Storage of Medications that read in part:
“In order to limit access to prescription medications, medication cabinets and medication supply should remain locked when not in use or attended by persons with authorize access.”
Failure to Develop, Implement and Enforce Programs That Investigate, Control and Keep Infections from Spreading
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated June 30, 2017, the state investigator reviewed the Lippincott Manual of Nursing Practice 9th Edition. As a part of the review it was noted that the facility had failed to “establish and maintain an infection prevention control program designed to provide a safe, sanitary and comfortable environment and to help prevent the development and transmission of communicable diseases and infection.” The failure by the nursing staff and administration affected one resident at the facility.
The investigator also noted that the facility had “failed to ensure proper equipment handling by the staff for [a resident] to ensure [another resident’s] nasal cannula was placed in bags when not use and failed to ensure staff to wash their hands after administering medication [involving a third resident].”
As a part of the observation, it was revealed that the “facility also failed to follow standard precautions to prevent the spread of infections in the dining room” involving sixteen residents. The hazard was the result of a “staff member utilizing bandage scissors to open resident’s condiments.” The report also outlined a facility failure to “store the ice scoop properly in the dining room while ice was passed to residents.
Failure to Secure an Effective Pest Control Program to Prevent or Deal with Mice, Insects or Other Pests
In a summary statement of deficiencies dated February 23, 2017, the state investigator noted the facility had failed to “maintain an effective pest control program so that the facility is free of pests and rodents.” The findings by the surveyor included the facility’s inability to “provide evidence of a policy/procedure.” The Director of Nursing was interviewed by the state investigator midafternoon on February 23, 2017, and revealed that “there was no policy related to pest and rodent control; however, it was the expectation of a prudent employee to have a pest free facility.”
However, the state investigator conducted an environmental tour the facility at 9:25 AM on February 23, 2017, and made the following observations that included:
An interview was conducted late morning on February 23, 2017 with the Branch Manager of the Pest Control Company. The manager stated that “they had been going to the facility almost daily setting snap traps and baited traps; however, until the problems that have been pointed out related to the mouse entrance sites were fixed, they will continue to be a problem.” The Branch Manager also stated that “he had sent the Service Manager of the company to the facility to point out the areas, dating back to August 9, 2016, which needed to be fixed where mice can enter the building; however, this has not been addressed by the facility.”
The pest control company branch manager also stated that “there were holes in the walls a person can put his or her foot through, also around the doors and the air-conditioners. He stated you can see light, and if you can see light, a mouse can get in.” The Branch Manager also stated that “the repair work was the responsibility of the facility and [the facility] had been informed of that multiple times. During an interview on the late afternoon of February 23, 2017, with the facility’s Administrator it was revealed that “the facility had attempted to fix all the areas the Pest Control can company had recommended, and would address the holes in the plaster, and around the sinks.”
Nursing home residents who have been neglected, abused and mistreated have the legal right to seek financial compensation for their damages. If you, or a loved one, were injured, consider using the skills of a nursing home negligence law firm to handle your case. The lawyer working on your behalf can ensure that the claim for compensation is filed before the statute of limitations expires.
These types of cases are typically handled on contingency fee agreements. This arrangement allows the attorney to begin working on the case immediately without the need for an upfront payment. All legal services are paid only after the compensation case is resolved through a jury trial award, or negotiated out of court settlement.
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Sources:
For information and laws regarding Kentucky nursing homes, look here. For information on nursing homes in specific Kentucky cities, please refer to the pages below:
Attorney Carey Acerra
Licensed in Kentucky
Owensboro Nursing Home Injury Attorney Nursing Home Law Center LLC Home