ASTORIA FACILITY FINED FOR INADEQUATE SUPERVISION

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The Illinois Department of Public Health has fined Astoria Gardens and Rehab Center $5,000 (Statement of Violation) for failure to provide adequate supervision to prevent a resident from leaving the facility unsupervised. The 69-bed skilled and intermediate care facility is located at 1008 E. Broadway St. in Astoria.

Responding to a complaint, Department surveyors learned a resident left the facility unnoticed just hours after being admitted. Staff did not properly monitor the resident, who had made comments about wanting to go home. The resident was found sitting on the curb of a busy highway with his feet in the roadway.

The charge nurse claimed she was not aware the resident was at risk for leaving the facility, although her notes indicated he talked about wanting to leave. In addition, she reported to surveyors the resident was located in the facility’s parking lot and not off the grounds. Staff told surveyors the charge nurse instructed them to say the resident was found in the facility’s parking lot.

The resident was able to leave the facility through the front door, which was set on chime rather than alarm. Following the incident, the front door was equipped with an alarm that sounds within seconds of opening unless a code is punched in by staff.

storia Gardens and Rehab Center has requested a hearing on the Department’s action. No hearing date has been scheduled.