Compared to other states, Connecticut’s quality of nursing care tends to be above average. Yet, the state Department of Health monitors the type and degree of treatment residents receive, from staff following up on a doctor’s orders to how well patients are watched. As a result, citations for failing to provide quality care in these areas are issued, and the New Haven Register recently compiled a list of homes that received them over the past few months.
One was the Paradigm Healthcare Center of Torrington, which had an incident in January of a resident that received 10 times the amount of recommended medication to treat hypertension, chronic pulmonary disease, and lymphoma. After the error, the resident’s blood pressure lowered and breathing slowed.
In two other similar incidents, staff at Amberwoods of Farmington had not been monitoring a resident’s recommended treatment. The negligence and lack of care resulted in death.
In Aurora Senior Living of Cromwell, staff had not been following medical orders, although no deaths resulted from their negligence.
In Highlands Health Care Center of Cheshire, a resident slipped after being transferred to a bed after bathing. The injury resulted in cuts and bruises.
In a less-serious instance of negligence, St. Camillus Center in Stamford went through an inspection, with a resident’s injuries from potential negligence obviously apparent. A later incident revealed that staff members were not using the correct type of padding when moving a resident.
Along with these five homes, Riverside Healthcare & Rehabilitation in East Hartford showed that staff must be trained on the proper procedures and use of equipment. The New Haven Register’s report indicates that incorrect usage of a mechanical lift to move residents resulted in broken bones and fractures.
