SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Illinois Department of Public Health has fined Cottonwood Health Care Center $10,000 (Statement of Violation), for failure to provide nursing services in accordance with a resident's needs. The 97-bed intermediate care facility is located at 820 E. Fifth St. in Galesburg.

As part of an incident report investigation, Department surveyors learned the facility failed to follow its own policy on monitoring and re-evaluating residents at risk for suicide.

After a psychiatric evaluation at a local hospital, a resident with a history of self-abuse and threatening to inflect self-harm was recommended to receive one-to-one supervision, but no documentation was found to indicate this special oversight was put in place. Three days later, the resident, who was left alone, used a broken light bulb to cut her wrist.

The facility's director of nursing told surveyors that decisions on when to use one-to-one supervision were left to staff discretion, although facility policy designates only three senior facility staff have the authority to modify any special precautions listed in care plans.

A Department-ordered plan of correction required facility administration to review its policies and procedures for supervising and monitoring residents with a history of self- inflicted injuries or suicidal behaviors and to train its staff on appropriate interventions to prevent residents from harming themselves.

Cottonwood Health Care Center has requested a hearing on the Department's action. No hearing date has been set.