Heritage House cited last year

Woman charged Thursday with neglecting to care for patient who was left unattended and fell Nursing homes Woman charged Thursday with neglecting to care for patient who was left unattended and fell

WILKES-BARRE – A nursing home where a patient was injured after being left unattended had been cited last May for failing to properly investigate injuries suffered by four residents, according to state records.

The citation was one of several filed by the state Department of Health against the Heritage House nursing home. Other problems cited included a failure to take adequate action to prevent residents from suffering minor injuries, including bruises and skin tears, according to state records.

Each deficiency was characterized by the Department of Health as causing “minimal harm” and was corrected as of the following state inspection on Aug. 4. The facility was found to have no deficiencies in a subsequent inspection conducted on Aug. 11.

Christine M. Hill, 44, of South Hancock Street, a certified nurse’s aide at the facility, was charged Thursday with neglecting to care for a 96-year-old woman who was injured after she was left unattended and fell, striking her face and arms on a wheelchair. Police said Hill failed to report the woman’s injuries to supervisors. The injuries were not discovered until one or two hours later, when another aide conducted a bed check.

Hill’s alleged actions contradicted a more stringent reporting policy the nursing home implemented in July in response to deficiencies cited by the Department of Health during a May 19 inspection. Inspectors said the facility failed to thoroughly investigate the source of injuries suffered by four residents to rule out potential abuse or mistreatment.

Under state regulations, nursing facilities are required to document all steps taken to investigate injuries of unknown origin and to take action to reduce the likelihood further injuries will occur.

In one incident, inspectors said a 95-year-old resident suffering from paralysis on one side of the body was found to suffer multiple injuries of unknown origin, including bruises and skin tears. There was no evidence the facility interviewed staff regarding the possible cause of the bruises, the report says.

In another incident, a resident was found to have four bruises on her right leg. An administrator said the staff believed the bruising was likely caused by a medication the patient takes that increases the risk of bruising, but acknowledged an investigation should have been completed.

Kevin McDonald, spokesman for Wyoming Valley Health Care System, which operates the nursing home, said the May inspection prompted the facility to institute a new system to track injuries to ensure each is investigated. Hill’s co-workers followed that procedure after discovering the resident’s injuries.

Larissa Bedrick, spokeswoman for the Department of Health, said Heritage House reported the incident to the department and appears to have followed required procedures.

“We will still be talking with them to make sure no one else is harmed. We will continue to look into it, but we feel the facility did everything they were supposed to do,” Bedrick said.

In a related matter, the health care system on Friday released a statement further explaining steps that were taken to investigate Hill’s background before she was hired. The statement was in response to comments a city detective made during Hill’s arraignment in which he stated she had a “30-page rap sheet” of prior criminal charges.

State nursing home regulations preclude facilities from hiring any person convicted of any of 56 specified crimes, including various forms of theft, drug offenses and violent crimes, such as homicide and sexual assault.

The health care system said it conducts criminal background checks on all applicants through the Pennsylvania State Police. Hill’s check revealed nothing that would prohibit her from working in a nursing home facility.

In addition, Heritage House also checked Hill’s prior work references, as well as records of the Health and Human Service office of the Inspector General and the “excluded parties list” criminal database – a Medicare sanctioned list of health professionals. Hill’s certification as a nurse’s aide was also verified, and she was given a pre-employment drug test.

On the Web

To check deficiency notices filed against Heritage House or any other nursing home in the state, go to the state Department of Health’s Web site at: http://app2.health.state.pa.us/commonpoc/nhLocatorie.asp. The site allows you to check by county, city, zip code or by facility name.

Terrie Morgan-Besecker, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 829-7179.

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