Nursing home responds to state discipline

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Hillcrest Nursing Home will submit a "Plan of Correction" and provide weekly reports to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services after being placed on a 90-day probationary period beginning Aug. 2.

DHHS informed the Red Willow County commissioners of the disciplinary action on July 21. Red Willow County owns the nursing home.

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According to a letter to the commissioners, the basis for the disciplinary action is a deficiency "relating to the failure of the facility to protect residents from abuse."

Peggy Rogers, administrator of Hillcrest, said Monday morning that the action "resulted from an isolated incident that occurred and was related timely to the DHHS." She declined to be more specific, protecting residents' right to privacy.

A report specifying the regulations that Hillcrest was found to have violated and the manner by which the violations were evidenced is not a public document, Eve Lewis, administrator of the Office of Long Term Care Facilities/Licensure Unit, Division of Public Health, DHHS, told Red Willow County Clerk Pauletta Gerver Monday afternoon.

During the probationary period, Hillcrest will continue to operate, and the plan of correction will delineate how the violation of resident rights will be corrected and the name of the person responsible for ensuring the correction will be completed.

Hillcrest also must review and revise its policies and procedures related to abuse/neglect /misappropriation identification, investigation and reporting.

Policies and procedures must include:

* Definitions of abuse and neglect.

* Methods to identify potential abuse and neglect situations.

* Directions to staff related to the process of reporting abuse to appropriate authorities internally and externally.

* Training of staff regarding the implementation and utilization of policies and procedures.

During the probationary period, Hillcrest's weekly reports will address any incident that occurs that potentially meets the definitions of abuse, neglect or misappropriation.

A facility investigated and/or placed on probation has the right to contest the notice and request a hearing.

Rogers wrote in a press release Monday that a person's right to respect, dignity and quality of life is retained when entering the facility.

Continual education is provided, she wrote, to protect the residents and preserve their rights through a variety of avenues, including staff education, family councils, residents' councils and the monthly newsletter.

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Policies! Policies! So you have to have a policy that says "treat these people with respect"? Maybe I'm misunderstanding, but here's the deal: No one deserves to be abused; not childred, not adults, not animals, and surely not the elderly. So if they're going to write a policy (or if we even have to write a policy) that says "no no, shame on you" or a so called "plan of action", then my only suggestion would be that it better be strict and start focusing more on the law and the consequences for breaking it. Then enforce it and make people accountable. My hat's off to those who do work in this career and take the time to treat people with dignity and respect. Although I've never done it - I've heard it's a tough, demanding job that can be extremely emotional.

-- Posted by SWHUSKER on Sat, Aug 9, 2008, at 5:47 PM

I have personally worked at the facility listed above, and I didn't last but a month, and my hat does sincerely go off to the wonderful men and women who work as CNA's, I didn't leave because I didn't like the job, I left because of all the lies. I hadn't even been there a whole month, and they put me on the hardest hall in charge, and there was a traveling nurse who came in, and I had to tell her what to do, what is wrong with this picture, and to top it off, there were plenty of CNA's who had been there for years, and they put them together on a hall, now why in the heck, would the person who made the schedule do this??? I ask myself that all the time, because I pointed this problem out to my charge nurse that night before leaving work, that I would apperciate it, if they would not put me in that situation again, being so new to the job, guess what, it happened the next three consecuative nights, I walked. I felt bad for leaving the residents, but I myself being so new should of been the one with someone telling me what to do, not me telling someone else what to do. I went and worked at the nursing home in a smaller community, and it was much more pleasant, and better managed. I don't know how Hillcrest is anymore, but it use to be a complete mess, and just so everyone knows, and I truly believe this, what you see from the outside, in this case, is DEFINITELY NOT what's going on inside, it's worse, and I hate to think about it.

-- Posted by BKE504 on Tue, Aug 5, 2008, at 2:42 PM

Care givers at nursing homes are special people in our society who are willing to provide the compassion and care that the elderly need because that compassion and care is not provided by their own families in their own homes. Modern health care has extended the lives of many people even-tho they cannot function independent of a care-giver there-fore nursing home are full with people needing care. Nursing homes are a corporation business concerned about maximum profit and generally under-staffed. Look at the owners and management for the problem because care-givers would not be there if they didnt care.

-- Posted by barneyfife on Fri, Aug 1, 2008, at 8:42 AM

There is good and bad in every institution. In this case, bad is bad. Maybe some of the caregivers had a bad day before work?? Maybe they don't like their job?? Maybe they just want a paycheck for not working??

Lots of unanswered questions here. Lots of rumors going around. Are they true?? This report of abuse should be investigated by a non-biased party. And by no means have anyone from this area do it. Get someone from far away. This has been done before with hidden cameras. Should a private group of people that have proof on this get together and see what really is going on??

I hope the person(s) in charge don't have anything to hide??

-- Posted by edbru on Thu, Jul 31, 2008, at 5:20 PM

I can say first hand that the care residents recieve at hilcrest is great. I know because I spent some time there myself. Granted, I did run into a few bumps that were quickly resolved.

Tell me this can all of you honestly say that on every hospital stay in any hospital, either yourself or a loved one, that yoy've gotten the very best nurses and never had a problem?

I know that it isslightly different, however nursing and aiding is a very hard and trying proffession and not everyone can be on top of their game every day.

My hat goes off to all of you who work with patients of any age. Keep pushin on and remeber how much we Joe Public need you no matter what!

-- Posted by tasha.allen69001 on Wed, Jul 30, 2008, at 8:21 PM

I would like to commend the people that take care of our loved ones at these nursing homes. It is a thank-less job that very few of us would even consider doing. They get the people up in the morning, get them ready for the day and take them to breakfast. Then they have to help feed a number or them while they keep their eye on the others and try to meet their needs too. Then there is dinner, supper and then it's time to get everyone ready for bed so they can get ready for tomorrow so they can do it again. I know what I'm talking about. My mother has been a patient in in a nursing home for eight years. Thank you for working so hard to care for my loved one.

-- Posted by Deer Slayer on Tue, Jul 29, 2008, at 7:22 PM

There are many different kinds of abuse. Dont judge untill you know the whole story. as an example: if you were an aide and didnt turn on a T.V. after being asked to by a resident. That is considered neglect and or abuse. This would be reported to the DHHS. As in the case above, and corrective actions would need to be taken.

-- Posted by movis on Tue, Jul 29, 2008, at 6:59 PM

I was wondering how many times has Hillcrest been

investigated for abuse problems in the past? Once is one time too many. Dosent sound like a safe place to put loved ones to me.

-- Posted by g-man on Tue, Jul 29, 2008, at 5:48 PM

I was a cna for over 16 years and Never Ever thought to abuse a resident whom sometimes didn't know why they were put in a home. You are there to love and treat as you would want to be treated if you are ever put in the same situation. The kids nowadays don't even realize what they are doing in this job field and I honestly think some of them are there just because oh its a paycheck and should be easy to do this..yeh right..wait a few years as you never know who is standing around the corner or how out of it you may think the resident might be. May God be looking over your shoulder..

-- Posted by turkeyette on Tue, Jul 29, 2008, at 5:42 PM

How about a one page, single guideline: (1) To the staff. There will probably, in the not too distant future, be a day that you are sleeping in a bed, in a care center, like this one. How would you like to be treated? Then: Treat in that manner, unto those living here now.

That wouldn't use up too many trees, for paper, and would possibly reach the inner cortex of the staff's minds, and hearts.

Just a thought.

-- Posted by Navyblue on Tue, Jul 29, 2008, at 4:03 PM

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