8 Dead at Florida Nursing Home without power after Hurricane Irma

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So what do you think happened here? They are located right across the street from a hospital but did not evacuate their residents to this hospital. WHY WHY WHY???

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Specializes in LTC, Hospice, Case Management.

I suspect there will be more to the story before it's over. I'd like to know if all those that died were in the same proximity, like was it actually a carbon monoxide problem rather than heat?

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I just can't imagine. How horrible. I do have to ask, "what was the staff thinking?" I understand that the adm might not have wanted to sound the alarm and send these people out but the nurses?? If there was any reason to disobey the administration, this would be one of them.

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Specializes in Case Manager/Administrator.

I am a nurse and LNHA. I would have sent these poor geriatric people out the door under supervision, had family come get them, notified my corporate office and called the state. I am sure there is more to the story but just want to add that there are some good LNHA out there for I am one of them. If it was my family member this small company or private owner would be sued.

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Specializes in Gerontology, Med surg, Home Health.

Whatever the reason, this is horribly sad. I've worked in plenty of facilities with generators...they can't run everything. Usually it's the crucial stuff--the red plugs...IVs, Gtube pumps, oxygen concentrators, electric beds. There HAS to be more than this to the story. If it's true that there was an hospital across the street and these poor souls weren't brought there....

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Specializes in retired LTC.

Something on the news, but I missed most of it.

Seems like the NH was making phone calls but were being referred and wrongly prioritorized. I didn't catch the whole news report but there most definitely will be more to this story.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

A Florida nursing home where 8 residents died in the aftermath of hurricane Irma when the facility lost air conditioning. The facility has been closed and it is considered a crime scene by police, the deaths are apparently being investigated as homicides with direct care nursing home staff potentially facing charges.

Fla. nursing home where eight died after Irma defends actions, says it called governor for help

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Specializes in retired LTC.

There's another 9/14 post started with responses.

I think there's going to be more to come on this story.

Mods - can you combine?

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.

Threads merged and moved to Nursing News.

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A Florida nursing home where 8 residents died in the aftermath of hurricane Irma when the facility lost air conditioning. The facility has been closed and it is considered a crime scene by police, the deaths are apparently being investigated as homicides with direct care nursing home staff potentially facing charges.

Fla. nursing home where eight died after Irma defends actions, says it called governor for help

I'd expect any nurses present go under the bus on this one. Facility management "relied" on nursing to assess the patients - ergo "not responsible for anything".

Even if there was only one nurse for 150 patients who had been working for a week straight.

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I'd expect any nurses present go under the bus on this one. Facility management "relied" on nursing to assess the patients - ergo "not responsible for anything".

Even if there was only one nurse for 150 patients who had been working for a week straight.

The courts and BONs have repeatedly found that short-staffing is not an excuse for substandard care. If you are in a situation in which you're short-staffed and overwhelmed and something goes wrong, the fact that you didn't have enough help is not a defense. Nurses who choose to continue working in those situations need to understand the risk they are taking on.

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