Will LTC nurse go to jail?

Murse901, MSN, RN · Oct 9, 2005

It would have to be a criminal negligence charge for them to get jail time. An example of criminal negligence would be the St. Rita's case in New Orleans, where the owners refused to evacuate residents and left them to their death.

The nurses will most likely lose their licenses and pay heavy fines.

Bird2 · Oct 9, 2005

I work at hospice in eastern Washington. We got a patient in from the local LTC nursing home. The family contacted the police and on the news last night it said the son is going to bring criminal charges against the nursing home because of the poor care of his mother. She has gangrene and numerous other skin breakdowns all over her body. The son said the nurses at the LTC lied and charted that they did dressing changes but he said no they didn't do them. Do you think any of the nurses involved in this situation are going to jail?

The State will investigate. If it was poor care there will be huge fines and they will have to pull together a plan of correction. One nurse would not have been in this alone. If they are following the CMS guidelines they will more than likely not have a problem but they need to prove that the areas were unavoidable d/t the individual pts risk factors, kept the MD and family updated, put all interventions in place, etc.. I refuse to be judgemental in this one. This could be a case of very, very poor care or an unfortunate pt at the end of life that no matter what was done they had skin breakdown. How very sad for the pt and the family. The CMS guidelines are very specific on prevention of pressure ulcers and if followed they will keep LTC's in compliance while giving the best possible care to our pts. This facility is more than likely looking at a lawsuit in the near future.

Blackcat99 · Oct 9, 2005

Thanks DonaldJ and Bird2. This local LTC has the worst reputation in this area. They are frequently talked about in the local paper and have been involved in numerous lawsuits. One of the CNA's told me that she heard that on night shift they only have one LPN and one CNA for 70 patients!!!!!!!! :eek: :eek: :eek:

Bird2 · Oct 9, 2005

Thanks DonaldJ and Bird2. This local LTC has the worst reputation in this area. They are frequently talked about in the local paper and have been involved in numerous lawsuits. One of the CNA's told me that she heard that on night shift they only have one LPN and one CNA for 70 patients!!!!!!!! :eek:

If this is the case then shame on the State for not stepping in forcing them to improve or shut down. Places like this give all LTC's a bad rep and it infuriates me.

dogwalker · Oct 9, 2005

It would have to be a criminal negligence charge for them to get jail time. An example of criminal negligence would be the St. Rita's case in New Orleans, where the owners refused to evacuate residents and left them to their death.
The nurses will most likely lose their licenses and pay heavy fines.

Was there even a saint named Rita????I know there must've been a hurricane named Rita! This story is one of the saddest of all.

Hopefully, the residents were all cognitively impaired. Not that it makes a difference in the inhumanity of it, but maybe they suffered less. Excellent article in Sacramento Bee today regarding this tragedy. Shame on us. Our system for caring for our elders is severely broken.

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Oct 9, 2005

Thanks DonaldJ and Bird2. This local LTC has the worst reputation in this area. They are frequently talked about in the local paper and have been involved in numerous lawsuits. One of the CNA's told me that she heard that on night shift they only have one LPN and one CNA for 70 patients!!!!!!!! :eek:

I have worked agency in places like this, and put them all on my list of places I refused to return to.

I hope there is a special place in hell for the owners and managers of these type of places, as they are ultimately responsible for staffing, standards of care and how the places are run.

Murse901, MSN, RN · Oct 9, 2005

Was there even a saint named Rita????I know there must've been a hurricane named Rita! This story is one of the saddest of all.
Hopefully, the residents were all cognitively impaired. Not that it makes a difference in the inhumanity of it, but maybe they suffered less. Excellent article in Sacramento Bee today regarding this tragedy. Shame on us. Our system for caring for our elders is severely broken.

Ya know, I never even thought about that. Kinda odd that those residents died at St. Rita's, and Hurricane Rita hit shortly after.

But yes, the nursing home was St. Rita's. http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/09/13/katrina.impact/ . As for who St. Rita is, I have no idea. :)

chris_at_lucas_RN, RN · Oct 9, 2005

Check out her bio....

http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintr01.htm

Blackcat99 · Oct 10, 2005

My brother found the link to this story. Here it is.http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9646511/

CoffeeRTC, BSN, RN · Oct 10, 2005

My brother found the link to this story. Here it is.http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9646511/

Wow, lots of nurses and aids had their hand in on this one. I'm sure all will be investigated.

Sad to say it takes a newspaper story and the police to get action.

dogwalker · Oct 10, 2005

Thanks Chris! I guess I'm a not much of a catholic (just baptised as such). learn something new every day...