Disturbing Nursing Home Story

Lalage · Dec 12, 2003

When I posted the link to the nursing home stories in the newspaper, I didn't intend anyone to think I was slamming all nursing homes...I know there are good ones out there staffed by excellent nurses and other health care staff. I'll admit that I have not seen a nursing home yet that I'd put a loved one in, but I hope articals such as the above encourage more attention in this poorly funded area. Even in the good nursing homes, I'm sure they have staffing problems...as we do in the acute hospital settings. Basically, there is no excuse for anything but the best care to all residents and patients, but sometimes I'm afraid, far too many fall through the cracks.

Louisepug · Dec 12, 2003

Originally posted by Luv2banurse2004
There was a report on the evening news, and various newspaper articles about this incident. At a nursing home in Illinois this past Sunday, a 79 y/o resident filed acomplaint accusing one of the caretakers at the assisted-living center of stealing several hundred dollars from her room.

The next morning (Monday) after the resident didn't show up for breakfast, a staff member found her found her in her room, dead from multiple stab wounds to the chest. According to one news report she'd been stabbed over 20 times. The CNA who the resident thought was stealing from her was charged Tuesday with two counts of first-degree murder and could face the death penalty.

Apparently the CNA snuck back into the residents room after midnight using her keycard, took a knife from the kitchen area, and repeatedly stabbed the resident around the neck and abdomen while covering the victim's mouth and face. This was an attempt to cover up the theft. This was a CNA with no previous violations according the the state health dept.

Now how much scarier can this be? You can't protect residents from something like this when there is no prior warning and no record of past behavior on the part of the caregiver. Just made me shudder learning of this.

OMG!! This is very scary! :eek: I live in Illinois and will be a graduating CNA school soon! What nursing home did this happen in? I'd actually like to read more about it from the source where you found this because I know some CNA's in nursing homes around here. Thanks for printing this and keeping us all informed.:) Louisepug

Luv2banurse2004 · Dec 12, 2003

You can find more info on the stabbing of the resident by doing a search on google news using the search term "marian village". I would like to add that this nursing home had NO complaints and there were no indications that something like this could happen. This story just highlights that even in some of the best facilities things can go wrong, and to be fair, things happen in all areas of business--not just healthcare.

BTW, the story was also printed in the Chicago Trib & Daily Southtown, so you can do a search on those sites. I happen to work now in a nursing home that is a sister to the facility where this happened (all under the same corp.) so I know how well our nursing homes are monitored! Not a bad place, just a bad apple.

CoffeeRTC, BSN, RN · Dec 12, 2003

Just a question for the group (maybe this should ge under geriatrics) Do you see these horror stories occuring more in for profit corporate nursing homes, private owned or non-profit centers? I see alot of posters were from Canada..Do you have the same type of governing agencies that we do in the states? As far as Medicare regulations, state and federal regulations and agencies? Just curious..I've worked in LTC for a while (all corporate owned facilities) and have seen the good, bad and ugly.

Town & Country · Dec 12, 2003

I can tell you exactly why such things happen: because the staff who have some ethics complain about the low staffing to management, and they are then conveniently fired.

They are pounding the pavement for work because they had the gall to alert management that the residents were not being cared for properly.

I was a d**ned good charge nurse, and I got fired because I REFUSED to work the entire facility as the only licensed person and the only PERSON there who was CPR certified.

I told them twelve hours in advance that I would not work my usual shift "alone", as I call it. They had more than enough time to call a nursing agency and get some help.

If nothing else they could have got off their lazy butts, come in and helped themselves, most of the admin. staff where I worked were still RNs.

I would not work in a place like that. They would either get some more d**n staff in there or I would leave.

Nurses are FOOLS; lining the pockets of people who are making a sleazy dollar by exploiting the dependent elderly. It makes me SICK!!!

shal · Dec 12, 2003

In my experience working in religious non for profit homes this is NOT the norm. Of course there are so many factors that contribute to bed sores. Immobility, nutritional support, pressure relief, skin care, incontinence issues etc that even in the best of situations decubiti are unavoidable. However, that being said, to allow the ulcer to progress to such a horrific stage involving bones and internal organs without any intervention at all is unbelievable. Had it been my LTC SNF we would document improvement or lack of improvement of the wound weekly as evidenced by decreased circumfrence and depth of wound and notify the MD of any lack of progress in healing, worsening or signs and symptoms of infection.

Prevention is the key because once you have breakdown it can be a slippery slope indeed to stem the tide. Hope this helps.

jenac2 · Dec 14, 2003

First of all, let me say that Ihave worked in LTC for over nine years now-as an STNA, an LVN, and now as the Admissions Nurse.

I have heard time and time again the general view of nursing homes. That they are a warehouse for our elderly, that once you enter one- you don't leave, you rot and die. That resident's are left to wear soiled clothing for hours on end- in the same osition (Sorry-the letter between o and Q on my keyboard isn't working today!I'm trying to avoid any words that start with it-but can't always!)

I've also heard my own family state that they would rather die than be in a nursing home-which is the general feeling. I do believe it is caused by stories like this. How many osters before me have stated the same thing?

I have seen several LTCs that had horrible care- I've heard the horror stories. But- I stand firm in my belief that not all nursing homes are bad. In life- some things are good, some are bad. You get both sides in every asect of life. Of course noone ever WANTS to come to a nursing home. Every single resident would rather be at home-but how many stories have we head about the little old lady who was neglected at home by her caregiver? Dehydrated, with huge bedsores? That when the EMT came in on an emergency call-they found her laying in days and days of filth?

Or the wanderer who was chained to his bed for hours a day while the family went to work?

The bottom line is this- we as a society are living longer. Technology has allowed us to survive when we may not have really wanted to. The cost is the quality of life. Look at the resident who had a massive stroke-remembers noone, can't do anything for himself. He would have wished it would've killed him- but it didn't, so he lives his life needing someone to care for him. Or the one with Alzheimer's. If she had a choice- she would have been gone long before it took over her life. But she needs costant care now too. It's the cost of living longer.

We all know that some facilities have no business caring for anyone, let alone a stuffed dog. There are agencies in lace to safegaurd resident's against care like that. We are regulated-we are accountable. Staffing does contribute- but is never an excuse for oor care.

Don't judge a book by it's cover. And don't think all LTCs are the same.

Noney · Dec 16, 2003

Jenac

Wonderful post. I worked 2 years in LTC as an NA then 9 as an LPN. I;m now an RN working in a hospital on a tele floor. Hospitals aren't a good place for confused elderly pt's I often find myself wishing the md would hurry up and discharge the pt so they can get back to the nursing home that understands how to take care of them.

As far as the story about the resident getting stabbed. It's a horrible thing that happened, but let's face it crimes like this are committed against the elderly is their own homes also. I'd say with more frequency, but I don't have a point of reference.

I've seen pt's that have had wounds get as bad as the one described earlier. The pts (they are few and far between) usually suffer from severely poor circulation, and are malnourished because they have stopped eating. You can not force someone to eat! You can offer all can of suppliments, you can even stand on your head and some people will not eat. And not every one wants a feeding tube.

This post is bringing out a strong passion in me. It's making my miss LTC. Anyone that works LTC deserves praise not criticism!

Noney