April 21, 1998

SPRINGFIELD, IL —The Illinois Department of Public Health has fined Deerbrook Care Centre $10,000 as the result of an 85-year-old resident who was hung to death by a restraint that was not properly applied. The 217-bed skilled care facility is located at 306 N. Larkin Ave. in Joliet.

Responding to a complaint, Department surveyors learned the woman fell from her bed with a safety restraint wrapped tightly around her abdomen. A coroner ruled the women died from positional asphyxia due to hanging by a restraint.

The resident's doctor had ordered the woman be visually checked every 30 minutes, but there was no documentation to show this had taken place. The facility estimated the woman could have been hanging outside her bed for more than an hour.

Three staff members interviewed also admitted that staff had not been trained on the proper way to apply the restraint.

As part of a mandatory plan of correction, the Department ordered the facility to assign an employee to monitor care plans for residents. In addition, the facility must ensure restraints are applied by trained staff in the appropriate manner and provide adequate and properly supervised nursing care.

Deerbrook Care Centre has requested a hearing on the Department's action. No hearing date has been scheduled.

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