Many Deficiencies Found at Harborchase of Venice Nursing Home as of 2019
Venice nursing home Harborchase is a 45-bed for-profit skilled nursing facility located at 950 Pinebrook Road, Venice, Florida 34285. On January 24, 2019, the Florida Agency for Healthcare Administration sent a team of investigators into Harborchase of Venice on a surprise basis. The purpose of this unannounced inspection was to determine whether this Venice nursing home was in compliance with state and federal laws enacted to protect residents and provide for their health, safety and well-being. During the inspection, state officials found many violations of law and cited Harborchase of Venice with multiple deficiencies related to resident safety at this local nursing home.
Problems Documented at Harborchase of Venice Nursing Home Involve Safety Concerns and also Withholding of Information
During its most recent inspection in January, 2019, Harborchase of Venice nursing home was cited in violation of law for failing to meet the following legal requirements under the federal Nursing Home Reform Act and state Minimum Standards for Nursing Homes, among others, related to the safety and protection of residents:
Pressure Ulcers
§483.25(b) Skin Integrity §483.25(b)(1) Pressure ulcers. Based on the comprehensive assessment of a resident, the facility must ensure that- (i) A resident receives care, consistent with professional standards of practice, to prevent pressure ulcers and does not develop pressure ulcers unless the individual’s clinical condition demonstrates that they were unavoidable; and (ii) A resident with pressure ulcers receives necessary treatment and services, consistent with professional standards of practice, to promote healing, prevent infection and prevent new ulcers from developing.
Unnecessary Drugs
§483.45(d) Unnecessary Drugs-General. Each resident’s drug regimen must be free from unnecessary drugs. An unnecessary drug is any drug when used- §483.45(d)(1) In excessive dose (including duplicate drug therapy); or §483.45(d)(2) For excessive duration; or §483.45(d)(3) Without adequate monitoring; or §483.45(d)(4) Without adequate indications for its use; or §483.45(d)(5) In the presence of adverse consequences which indicate the dose should be reduced or discontinued; or §483.45(d)(6) Any combinations of the reasons stated in paragraphs (d)(1) through (5) of this section.
Infection Control
§483.80 Infection Control The facility must establish and maintain an infection prevention and control program designed to provide a safe, sanitary and comfortable environment and to help prevent the development and transmission of communicable diseases and infections. §483.80(a) Infection prevention and control program. The facility must establish an infection prevention and control program (IPCP) that must include, at a minimum, the following elements: §483.80(a)(1) A system for preventing, identifying, reporting, investigating, and controlling infections and communicable diseases for all residents, staff, volunteers, visitors, and other individuals providing services under a contractual arrangement based upon the facility assessment conducted according to §483.70(e) and following accepted national standards; §483.80(a)(2) Written standards, policies, and procedures for the program, which must include, but are not limited to: (i) A system of surveillance designed to identify possible communicable diseases or infections before they can spread to other persons in the facility; (ii) When and to whom possible incidents of communicable disease or infections should be reported; (iii) Standard and transmission-based precautions to be followed to prevent spread of infections; (iv)When and how isolation should be used for a resident; including but not limited to: (A) The type and duration of the isolation, depending upon the infectious agent or organism involved, and (B) A requirement that the isolation should be the least restrictive possible for the resident under the circumstances. (v) The circumstances under which the facility must prohibit employees with a communicable disease or infected skin lesions from direct contact with residents or their food, if direct contact will transmit the disease; and (vi)The hand hygiene procedures to be followed by staff involved in direct resident contact. §483.80(a)(4) A system for recording incidents identified under the facility’s IPCP and the corrective actions taken by the facility. §483.80(e) Linens. Personnel must handle, store, process, and transport linens so as to prevent the spread of infection. §483.80(f) Annual review. The facility will conduct an annual review of its IPCP and update their program, as necessary.
Failure to Follow Physician Orders
All physician orders must be followed as prescribed, and if not followed, the reason must be recorded on the resident’s medical record during that shift.
Failing to Have Sufficient Staff to Protect and Meet Resident Needs
59A-4.108(4) In accordance with the requirements outlined in subsection 400.23(3)(a), F.S., the nursing home licensee must have sufficient nursing staff, on a 24-hour basis to provide nursing and related services to residents in order to maintain the highest practicable physical, mental, and psychosocial well-being of each resident, as determined by resident assessments and individual plans of care. 400.23(3)(a)1. The agency shall adopt rules providing minimum staffing requirements for nursing home facilities. These requirements must include, for each facility: a. A minimum weekly average of certified nursing assistant and licensed nursing staffing combined of 3.6 hours of direct care per resident per day. As used in this sub-subparagraph, a week is defined as Sunday through Saturday. b. A minimum certified nursing assistant staffing of 2.5 hours of direct care per resident per day. A facility may not staff below one certified nursing assistant per 20 residents. c. A minimum licensed nursing staffing of 1.0 hour of direct care per resident per day. A facility may not staff below one licensed nurse per 40 residents. 2. Nursing assistants employed under s. 400.211(2) may be included in computing the staffing ratio for certified nursing assistants if their job responsibilities include only nursing-assistant-related duties. 3. Each nursing home facility must document compliance with staffing standards as required under this paragraph and post daily the names of staff on duty for the benefit of facility residents and the public. 4. The agency shall recognize the use of licensed nurses for compliance with minimum staffing requirements for certified nursing assistants if the nursing home facility otherwise meets the minimum staffing requirements for licensed nurses and the licensed nurses are performing the duties of a certified nursing assistant. Unless otherwise approved by the agency, licensed nurses counted toward the minimum staffing requirements for certified nursing assistants must exclusively perform the duties of a certified nursing assistant for the entire shift and not also be counted toward the minimum staffing requirements for licensed nurses. If the agency approved a facility’s request to use a licensed nurse to perform both licensed nursing and certified nursing assistant duties, the facility must allocate the amount of staff time specifically spent on certified nursing assistant duties for the purpose of documenting compliance with minimum staffing requirements for certified and licensed nursing staff. The hours of a licensed nurse with dual job responsibilities may not be counted twice.
Failing to Report Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation
Abuse, neglect, or exploitation must be reported to the agency as required by 42 C.F.R. s. 483.13(c) and to the department as required by chapters 39 and 415.
Withholding Survey Results from Residents, Families and Public
§483.10(g)(10) The resident has the right to- (i) Examine the results of the most recent survey of the facility conducted by Federal or State surveyors and any plan of correction in effect with respect to the facility; and (ii) Receive information from agencies acting as client advocates, and be afforded the opportunity to contact these agencies. §483.10(g)(11) The facility must– (i) Post in a place readily accessible to residents, and family members and legal representatives of residents, the results of the most recent survey of the facility. (ii) Have reports with respect to any surveys, certifications, and complaint investigations made respecting the facility during the 3 preceding years, and any plan of correction in effect with respect to the facility, available for any individual to review upon request; and (iii) Post notice of the availability of such reports in areas of the facility that are prominent and accessible to the public. (iv) The facility shall not make available identifying information about complainants or residents.
The actual survey containing the deficiencies cited may be accessed and read here: https://tinyurl.com/y3lj25vx
Do you have Concerns, Complaints or a Potential Lawsuit against Harborchase of Venice to Discuss?
Do you have questions concerning the care received by a loved one at Harborchase of Venice and its nursing home or assisted living facility? Call me at (941) 485-7600 for a free and confidential consultation. Our law firm focuses on the fight to improve care for our seniors in Florida by holding assisted living facility and nursing home corporations accountable for severe harm and loss that they may cause through abuse, neglect, understaffing and negligence. For nearly 25 years, I have assisted families in Florida seek justice for the wrongs committed by corporations that put profit ahead of the safety, health and well-being of some of our most vulnerable citizens.
