Squirrel Hill Nursing Home Accused Of Restraining Patients To Beds Too OftenPOSTED: 4:54 pm EST January 8,
2008 PITTSBURGH -- A nursing home in Squirrel Hill was fined more than $20,000 for more than 20 care deficiencies after being accused of restraining patients to their beds.The state Department of Health also placed the Commons at Squirrel Hill on a provisional license, following an Oct. 23 inspection of the facility.According to Health Department surveyors, patients at the Wightman Street nursing home were restrained, but there was no documentation by doctors showing the restraints were necessary."There were restraint issues where people were utilizing restraints without position orders or without family notification," said Commons administrator Peggy Means.According to the inspection report, one patient was found with a seat belt wrapped tightly around his chest, on the floor in front of his wheelchair. The state blamed the facility for failing to investigate the incident.A health department official said the facility used the restraints far too often. Typically, restraints are used on residents to prevent them from falling out of bed or wheelchairs. They are also frequently used to prevent residents from pulling out tubes, which might provide life-sustaining measures.Commons administrators said they corrected many of the problems that same day and have re-evaluated their residents."We have submitted a plan of correction to the Department of Health, which was accepted by them," said Means. "They have come back, re-evaluated and cleared us of all of the deficiencies, including those of using the restraints." Related Links: More County NewsGet RSS | E-Mail Alerts Copyright 2008 by ThePittsburghChannel. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |
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