An evaluation and review program prompting a nursing home inspection has led to significant fines. A nursing home inspection could reveal numerous problems that violate state and federal guidelines as well as laws.

One nursing home was recently fined $22,000 as a result of a nursing home inspection that revealed serious patient care violations.

Unfortunately, the growing number of nursing home abuse and neglect cases means that it is more important than ever to determine whether or not a facility you are considering for your loved one has been subject to a nursing home inspection and the results from that inspection.

A New York nursing home was fined after a nursing home inspection revealed numerous problems, including leaving residents in the facility in soiled clothing as well as missing medications and meal times. Numerous violations were captured during the Feb. 9th nursing home inspection, when it was carried out by the New York State Department of Health.

The nursing home inspection meant that investigators were dispatched to the facility and discovered that multiple residents had missed showers and medication doses, or were suffering from bed sores. The inspection also revealed that the staff had failed to move a resident, and the resident was sitting in soiled clothing.

The facility was ordered to pay $22,000 within one month after being notified of the results of the nursing home inspection.

The 82-bed nursing home was purchased last year by Centers Health Care, a health care chain out of the Bronx that operates 53 different nursing homes across the state of New York.

According to the nursing home inspection report, multiple deficiencies were outlined on the survey for recertification, including areas of abuse, bowel and bladder concerns, activities of daily living, improper notification of lab results, improper medication storage, staffing and the development of pressure ulcers.

At the time of the nursing home inspection in February, the facility was being operated by an out of state administrator who was not available on the weekends, according to the report.

Many repeat deficiencies were filed in the nursing home inspection report, including a total of 24 different deficiencies. Failure to investigate reports of neglect and abuse for two residents were observed, including one case in which there were repeated acts of violence towards staff and other residents.

Furthermore, the nursing home inspection revealed that the facility failed to help residents who were unable to carry out their own activities of daily living, including appropriate nutrition and hygiene.

One resident described in the nursing home inspection report became so dehydrated that she was hospitalized since there was no registered nurse on duty at the time of the incident to provide intravenous fluids. Short staffing was blamed as one of the primary reasons for the patient care violations as outlined in the nursing home inspection report.  If you think a nursing home inspection would reveal problems related to abuse and neglect of your loved one, it’s better to take action now with the support of an attorney.