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A patient's death at the former Meadow View Manor nursing home in Grass Valley has led to a $75,000 fine by the state.
It remained unclear Monday whether the fine imposed by the California Department of Public Health would be appealed. The incident leading to the fine occurred in February, when the home was owned by Horizon West HealthCare Inc., of Rocklin.
The facility was among 27 Horizon West facilities purchased in June by Plum HealthCare Group, of San Marcos, Calif., and is now called Crystal Ridge Care Center.
The patient, who was not identified, was being bathed in February when a certified nursing assistant attempted to use a mechanical lift chair to get the resident out of the bathtub. The home's policies require two people operate the lift, but the assistant did the task alone, according to the state's investigation report.
The patient, who had been having trouble sitting upright alone, fell forward into the tub when the assistant turned for a moment to get a towel, the report added.
“This failure resulted in Resident 1 falling out of the mechanical lift chair into the bottom of the empty bathtub, where (the resident) sustained a large gash on (the) head and three broken bones in (the) neck,” the report states.
“Resident 1 died four days later,” the report adds.
The resident had been in hospice care at the facility, arranged through a contract “with the hospice agency,” the report states.
Crystal Ridge had been slapped with the most severe penalty the state imposes: A class AA citation, which is imposed in the case of patient death, according to state documents. That level of citation carries a fine of up to $100,000; penalties and fines are set out by the Legislature, Public Health spokesman Ralph Montaņo said.
New owners Plum HealthCare were briefed on the incident, Branch President Nick Anderson said. Facility administrator Jim Bursey was not available for comment.
Since the purchase, “we have worked really closely with the facility staff to provide advanced clinical training and support to strengthen fall prevention skills and interventions on behalf of residents,” Anderson said.
The company's goal is to ensure care at Crystal Ridge “is world class,” Anderson added. “We do everything we can to serve people and their families.”
Services at Crystal Ridge include speech, physical and occupational therapy “to provide a personalized plan for each resident to function at their highest level,” the facility's website states.
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To contact Senior Staff Writer Trina Kleist, e-mail tkleist@theunion.com or call (530) 477-4230.
It remained unclear Monday whether the fine imposed by the California Department of Public Health would be appealed. The incident leading to the fine occurred in February, when the home was owned by Horizon West HealthCare Inc., of Rocklin.
The facility was among 27 Horizon West facilities purchased in June by Plum HealthCare Group, of San Marcos, Calif., and is now called Crystal Ridge Care Center.
The patient, who was not identified, was being bathed in February when a certified nursing assistant attempted to use a mechanical lift chair to get the resident out of the bathtub. The home's policies require two people operate the lift, but the assistant did the task alone, according to the state's investigation report.
The patient, who had been having trouble sitting upright alone, fell forward into the tub when the assistant turned for a moment to get a towel, the report added.
“This failure resulted in Resident 1 falling out of the mechanical lift chair into the bottom of the empty bathtub, where (the resident) sustained a large gash on (the) head and three broken bones in (the) neck,” the report states.
“Resident 1 died four days later,” the report adds.
The resident had been in hospice care at the facility, arranged through a contract “with the hospice agency,” the report states.
Crystal Ridge had been slapped with the most severe penalty the state imposes: A class AA citation, which is imposed in the case of patient death, according to state documents. That level of citation carries a fine of up to $100,000; penalties and fines are set out by the Legislature, Public Health spokesman Ralph Montaņo said.
New owners Plum HealthCare were briefed on the incident, Branch President Nick Anderson said. Facility administrator Jim Bursey was not available for comment.
Since the purchase, “we have worked really closely with the facility staff to provide advanced clinical training and support to strengthen fall prevention skills and interventions on behalf of residents,” Anderson said.
The company's goal is to ensure care at Crystal Ridge “is world class,” Anderson added. “We do everything we can to serve people and their families.”
Services at Crystal Ridge include speech, physical and occupational therapy “to provide a personalized plan for each resident to function at their highest level,” the facility's website states.
ooo
To contact Senior Staff Writer Trina Kleist, e-mail tkleist@theunion.com or call (530) 477-4230.
