WATSEKA FACILITY FINED FOR RESIDENT ABUSE

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Magnolia Wood Health Care Center has been fined $10,000 (Statement of Violation) by the Illinois Department of Public Health for failure to protect a resident from physical and mental abuse by an employee. The 76-bed skilled and intermediate care facility is located at 900 N. Market St. in Watseka.

Responding to a complaint, Department surveyors learned staff failed to intervene when an off-duty employee, who had been drinking, showed up at the facility and became aggressive with a resident.

The employee entered a resident’s room and insisted on giving him a bath. The charge nurse told the employee to leave the resident alone, but the employee ignored her. The charge nurse left the resident, who was totally dependant on staff, with the employee.

The off-duty employee was able to get the resident into a shower chair and a nurse aide helped undress the man. The employee took the resident into the shower room while the other staff stayed in the resident’s room and made his bed. When an aide entered the shower room, she observed the off-duty employee squirting the resident in the face with water.

The charge nurse said she was not trained on the abuse prohibition program and, while the nurse aides had been trained, they did not attempt to intervene. The off-duty employee was suspended and later fired.

Magnolia Wood Health Care Center has requested a hearing on the Department’s action. No hearing date has been scheduled.