July 2, 1998

SPRINGFIELD, IL —The Illinois Department of Public Health has fined Jerseyville Manor $20,000 for failing to provide adequate care for residents. The 76-bed skilled care facility is located at 1251 N. State St. in Jerseyville.

Department surveyors, who were in the facility to conduct an annual inspection and to investigate complaints, found staff failed to effectively prevent and treat bed sores, to properly evaluate the bowel and bladder needs of residents and to determine the causes of resident accidents.

• Employees failed to prevent bed sores by ensuring residents were not in the same position for more than two hours, as required by facility policy, including an 87- year-old male resident who sat in a wheelchair for nearly four hours.
• An 80-year-old female resident who relies on facility employees to assist her in moving was seen lying in the same position for more than two hours at a time causing a bed sore that had previously been surgically closed to reopen. In another incident, a portion of the woman's urine catheter tubing was seen lying on the floor under her wheelchair despite a recent diagnosis of urinary tract infection.

• Facility staff did not investigate the cause of frequent accidents for four residents or develop a plan to prevent additional injuries including incidents involving an 85-year-old female resident who fell five times in less than a year and suffered a sprained shoulder, cut forehead and a broken hip. A follow-up X-ray after hip repair surgery was not performed according to physician orders.
• A resident who was in the facility for physical therapy fell four times in a month. As part of her rehabilitation, the resident's physician ordered facility staff to assist her in walking to all meals and to the restroom; however, Department surveyors noted four meals where the resident arrived by wheelchair. According to facility staff, the 75-year-old woman, who originally was not expected to be in the facility long, is unsafe and will probably not go home.
• Surveyors learned residents who are dependent on facility staff are not routinely assisted in using the restroom, sometimes waiting nearly an hour.

As part of a mandatory plan of correction, the Department ordered the facility to train staff on methods to prevent and treat bed sores and urinary tract infections. The facility also was ordered to review its policy regarding safety precautions for residents who are at risk for falls.

Jerseyville Manor has requested a hearing on the Department's action. The hearing is scheduled for Aug. 25.

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