Everett nursing home accused of neglect after death of man, 97

Everett (Washington) Herald ^ | 10/16/2009 | Diana Hefley

[iowamark]

EVERETT, WA — An Everett nursing home is being accused of neglecting a 97-year-old man and allowing his penis to slowly rot off.

A lawsuit was filed against the Everett Rehabilitation and Care Center earlier this week. The lawsuit alleges that nursing home staff failed to adequately care for a patient who had developed penile cancer. The man died March 31, 2008, about two weeks after he was rushed to the emergency room and doctors made the grim discovery.

They were the first to report that the man's penis had disintegrated, Seattle attorney James Gooding said Thursday.

“They were shocked and didn't know what had happened. They had never seen anything like that,” Gooding said. “No one at Everett Rehab did anything or told anybody about his condition. We believe it was negligence. They didn't care.” ...

A nurse on Nov. 7, 2007, told the home's residential care manager that the man had a wound on his penis, records show. The manager went on a three-week vacation and when she returned she forgot about the nurse's report, according to an investigation conducted by the state Department of Social and Health Services.

She said she didn't hear anything more about the man's wound until a doctor at the hospital called on March 14, 2008 — four months later — to report that the man's penis was gone and instead he had a gaping wound, records show.

Nursing home records document that staff changed the man's diaper daily and provided him weekly baths between November 2007 and March 13, 2008, according to the lawsuit...

[iowamark]

Earlier thread on this subject:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2363955/posts

[fieldmarshaldj]

Dear Lord in heaven. That poor man. RIP.

[scoobysnak71]

>”Dear Lord in heaven. That poor man. RIP.”

Agreed. So much good material for a joke here, but just cant bring myself to do it out of respect for the guy. We’ll keep him in our prayers.

[HospiceNurse]

They do not mention whether this man had a Foley catheter or not. Men’s penises regularly split like an over cooked hotdog with prolonged Foley insertion.

Also EVERYTHING is abuse in a nursing home. If they had forced him to submit to a skin exam against his will, it is abuse. If they give him a bath against his will, it is abuse. If they don’t bathe him it is abuse. If they put up an extra bed rail to prevent him from falling, it is abuse. Somehow though, people dumping their own relatives into homes isn’t abuse.

[iowamark]

Certainly, failing to tell the man’s physician about open sores on his penis for months is abuse.

[HospiceNurse]

Certainly, failing to tell the man’s physician about open sores on his penis for months is abuse

Where was the "physician"?

The man had penile cancer and was 97 years old. Nursing homes do not have resident doctors. Doctors blow through, look at charts, generate huge fees and generate bogus orders based on bogus charts. They seldom examine humans. Nursing homes are run by RNs who, if you are lucky, have an associate's degree. The nursing stations are managed by LPNs who have one year of training. They pass meds to residents every 4 hours. Nursing assistants provide the hands-on care, You can become a Certified Nursing Assistant in one month. In my nursing home, I have never knowingly met a doctor. RNs do not see patients (we call them residents). They process doctor's orders (paper work). LPNs pass meds, fill feeding tubes, insert catheters. What you are seeing in this article is a slimebag lawyer initiating the chain of blame. The doctor will blame the RN, the RN will blame the LPN, the LPN will blame the Aides. Aides will be fired and lose their certification and ability to make a living. It made news because of the word "penis". John Edwards is jealous that he didn't get their first. If the patient was diabetic and lost a toe, you wouldn't be reading about it. There is an immense shortage of nursing assistants because nobody wants to be the low-man on the chain of blame.

[fatnotlazy]

“Somehow though, people dumping their own relatives into homes isn’t abuse.”

***

When my mother could no longer care for herself, my brother and I made the tough decision to move her to a nursing home. Believe me, this decision was not made lightly. Both my brother and I were working at the time and both of us had jobs that demanded a lot of overtime, plus weekends and ocssionally holidays. Some family members and neighbors thught we were terrible to “dump” Mom into a home, but really, it was the best we could do.

This was not the old days, when people usually worked 9 to 5 and most women were stay-at-home wives. These days, if you want to keep your job (and your main source of income), you may have to work long hours and the usual days off. You don’t have a choice. IF I had quit my job (as some suggested) and just stayed at home caring for my mother, what money would I have had to live on?

It’s not that my brother and I didn’t love our mother. In fact, I believe that moving her to a home was actually a sign of love — we were getting her optimum care, certainly more than we could have ever done. We were fortunate that the home Mom lived in was excellent for such a facility. Mom received the best possible care and was never abused or neglected (nor were there any reports of others being abused or neglected).

And Mom was never lonely. She was exceptionally outgoing...made friends wherever she was. And we visited her often, and my brother and his wife, when they could, would take her out, usually to their home, and often for the weekend. In addition, the home itself had excursions for their relatively able residents and an assortment of indoor games and activities. I think the only thing my mother complained about was the food, but then again, if she had been served a five course meal at an upscale restaurant, she would still have found fault with the food. Mom was fussy that way. Otherwise, Mom was cared for and she was not just “dumped.”

Sorry for going on like this, but after listening to so many busybodies tell me what a terrible daughter I was for warehousing my mother in a home, it’s a subject that sticks in my craw. I refuse to feel guilty about our decision.

[Disgusted in Texas]

I worked in a nursing home for 15 years,four of those on the floor as a nursing asst. I put my dad in when he was 89. He required care that I was unable to give at home.We lived close to the home ,so I kept an eye on him during the day ,after work would visit with him,and of course on weekends.I made certain his care was good (to the extent of losing some friends on staff and almost my job a few times). Point being ,I was there, more than at home. I knew what medicine he was being given ,what procedures were being implemented in his care his doctors,etc. Many elderly are there with no family and are at the mercy of the system. Sad but true. It isn't always their families fault. Some live so far away ,that it is impossible to visit often. Others have outlived their children or their children are elderly and can't come to look out for their parents welfare. There are ombudsman,but that isn't always the answer.Some homes are far better than others. Others are nightmares.Before considering putting a parent in any home families should research the homes they are considering.Go on line. Find out the number of times they have been written up ,their quality of care etc. After the parent is in the home ,make “surprise” visits. Don't form a routine as to the visits.Putting a parent in a home is not a license to forget them or look after them when it is convienent.but please also ,don't lump everyone in a one catagory ,who must put a parent there.

[Disgusted in Texas]

You sound like a wonderful daughter. Your mom was blessed. People should not pass judgments on others for the decisions that have to be made. Unless you have had to make that gut wrenching decision,do not judge.The home sounded like a very nice environment. Many elderly also prefer to not live with their children.The home that I worked in provided many recreational activities. (I worked in activities for several years after being a nursing asst.) We had Bingo games . I did bead classes ,reminscing activities ,had newspaper/coffee parties,ceramics ,trips to name a few.I enjoyed it. Loved those dear people. And they became a second family to me. I still go to the cemetery to take flowers to many who passed away over the years..The home that I worked in is no longer there. But a small group of us get together monthly to have lunch and keep in touch. Always discussing may of the residents and how much we miss seeing them and helping them every day. Some are in homes in our area. And we go visit them also...Again ,feel no guilt..You don't deserve to beat yourself up or feel the need to justify your decision.

[HospiceNurse]

Many of the nursing assistants are from other countries like Granada, Panama, and lots from Africa. They are appalled that American families do not care for their parents.

It is culture, not economics. We do not care for our parents because we do not care enough to make the sacrifice.

[reg45]

And they didn’t even have death panels - yet!

[HospiceNurse]

He required care that I was unable to give at home

If you are a nursing assistant you were able to provide him the care he needed. After all, it was CNAs that provided the care he got. The only thing that the nursing home could do is have a nurse pass meds, but you could do that too.

Don't get me wrong, my father-in-law is in an alzheimer's ward 1/2 mile from my house. It would be much easier for me to care for him than the 20 residents I currently care for. His care costs $3500 per month. The VA and medicare pay for it. They won't pay if he was at home. For $2000 to $2500, I could afford to stay home and take care of him. It would save the government $5,000 to $11,000 per year if I could.

[My hearts in London - Everett]

I am a CNA. How would this not be the fault of the CNAs who worked with this man caring for him, cleaning and bathing him?? CNAs are required to chart any open sores or changes in skin condition. If a CNA working with this gentleman failed to report this man’s changed condition during or at the end of any shift, IMO that CNA should be fired and should lose their certification.

[CarolinaPeach]

You got that right. I passed the State exam and received my CNA certificate but never even tried to get a job after that because after 40 hours of clinicals, I knew being responsible for 8 or more mostly bed-ridden “residents” was just ridiculous.

The instructor for our class constantly tried to build us up and told us how important we would be because we would be the first to know when something was wrong. Then we got out on the floor in clinicals and saw what the deal was. The regular CNAs would purposely not change their residents and some of us would walk in each day to find those residents lying in their own waste from the previous night.

And your point about everything being abuse...dead on. A resident has the right to be clean, be fed, be safe, etc. but forcing them to take a bath, eat their food, sleep with a rail up is abusive if they protest.

When I completed clinicals, I went home and sent an email to my siblings detailing what I had seen and begged them to help me never to have to send our father to a nursing home unless there was just absolutely no other way.

One lady wouldn’t eat unless her daughter was with her for each meal. The daughter wasn’t there for each meal so the lady just didn’t eat.

[HospiceNurse]

I agree. However, the man had penile cancer. Did he get it 4 months earlier and lose his penis four months later? The CNAs operate under the supervision of licensed nurses. Why didn’t any licensed professionals check the guy for 4 months?

[HospiceNurse]

Then we got out on the floor in clinicals and saw what the deal was. The regular CNAs would purposely not change their residents and some of us would walk in each day to find those residents lying in their own waste from the previous night. Most CNAs hate their jobs. Most LPNs Hate their jobs. Most RN's hate their jobs. Most americans have other people wipe their children's butts and wipe their parent's butts and then complain because they don't do it to their satisfaction. I have known many wonderful, caring nurses' aides. Many, however, are welfare to work people who had to go to school or lose their benefits. They get 3 months to take the one month class. I have a 2 cent solution. I will always have at least one .22 cal long rifle bullet at home so I will NEVER go into a nursing home.

[Freedom2specul8]

Precautionary measures are considered abuse by whom?

[Freedom2specul8]

You should never feel guilty for doing what you had to do. By staying in contact, regular visits and outtings when you could...it really sounds like your mom was happy and not suffering. I think the worst cases are poorly managed facilities and patients who can no longer be their own advocates. (Can’t defend or protect themselves against abuse, neglect etc.. They are at the highest risk, and need extra supervision when family can’t take care of them at home)

[HospiceNurse]

Precautionary measures are considered abuse by whom?

Government

A nursing home resident with alzheimers regularly gets out of bed at night to go to the bathroom, but gets out of the wrong side of the bed, gets confused and falls. The nurse aide that spends 40 hours a week or more with this resident realizes that if she puts up the bottom bed rail on the wrong side of the bed and turns on the bathroom light the resident gets out of the right side of the bed and goes to the bathroom unharmed. The state comes in and finds out that there is no physician's order for the bed rail being up. They do not care why it is up. The aide is cited for abuse (illegal restraint) loses her registration and ability to make a living, the rail is lowered, the resident falls and breaks her hip, gets pneumonia and dies. Gubmint is happy.