May 25, 2000
WHEATON NURSING HOME FINED
SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Illinois Department of Public Health has fined DuPage Convalescent Center $10,000 (Statement of Violations) for failure to take the necessary precautions to ensure the safety of its residents. The 508-bed skilled care facility is located at 400 N. County Farm Road in Wheaton.
A Department investigation found that a 100-year-old resident suffered a fractured neck and hand, and a cut to her forehead when her wheelchair fell down a 10-foot flight of stairs. She had wandered unnoticed from the dining room area in her wheelchair and past a nurses station before opening a stairwell door. The door had an alarm, but it is hard to hear and automatically shuts off when the door is closed. The woman was taken to a local hospital and later died from complications related to her injuries.
The Department-ordered plan of correction requires the facility to monitor potentially hazardous areas of the facility, to determine the effectiveness of the current alarm system and to ensure the safety of its residents.
DuPage Convalescent Center has requested a hearing on the Department's action. A hearing date has not been scheduled.
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Illinois Department
of Public Health 535 West Jefferson Street Springfield, Illinois 62761 Phone 217-782-4977 Fax 217-782-3987 TTY 800-547-0466 Questions or Comments |