Sept. 11, 1998

SPRINGFIELD, IL —The Illinois Department of Public Health has fined Sunny Acres Nursing Home $10,000 for failing to properly monitor and keep a physician informed of the condition of an 81-year-old female resident who did not have a bowel movement in eight days. The 106-bed skilled care facility is located in rural Petersburg.

Responding to a complaint, Department surveyors learned the woman had been constipated with infrequent bowel movements for a month and had complained of pain in her legs and abdomen. Facility staff did not adequately assess her condition, which resulted in the woman’s physician being told of her pain but not of her constipation.

Facility employees finally notified the resident’s physician of the woman’s constipation after she complained continuously for two days. After learning the resident’s abdomen was distended and that gastric secretions had been present when the woman had pulled her feeding tube apart, the physician ordered the facility to transfer the woman to a hospital.

As part of a mandatory plan of correction, the Department ordered the facility to review its policies and to train its staff regarding properly monitoring bowel elimination and tube feedings of residents and keeping physicians informed.

Sunny Acres Nursing Home has requested a hearing on the Department’s action. No hearing date has been set.

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