SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Illinois Department of Public Health has fined Champaign County Nursing Home $15,000 for two violations of the state Nursing Home Care Act. The 243-bed skilled, intermediate and sheltered care facility is located at 1701 E. Main St. in Urbana.

The first violation (Statement of Violation), was the result of a complaint investigation during which Department surveyors learned the facility failed to ensure that a resident received her medication as ordered. The resident died of respiratory failure due to high levels of morphine in her system. The amount of morphine detected in her body by postmortem tests was about 13 times higher than the level accounted for by the prescribed dosage.

The second violation (Statement of Violation), was the result of the facility's failure to provide visual supervision of an alarmed exit door during times when the alarm was deactivated, thereby allowing a resident to leave the facility unnoticed. The resident was found outside without a coat when the temperature was 36 degrees F. Police returned the resident to the facility unharmed.

Champaign County Nursing Home has requested hearings on the Department's actions. A hearing on the first violation has been scheduled for Oct. 9. A hearing date has not been set for the second violation.