$85,000 Fine: Death Due to Improper Side Rail Use
Posted by Patti on March 29th, 2007 / Print This Post
A nursing home is fined $85,000 because it didn’t properly use a side rail, and a resident died because of this.
MONROE, N.C. State officials recommend that a western North Carolina nursing home be fined more than 85-thousand dollars following the death of an elderly patient.Investigators determined Smith Nursing Center in Monroe failed to follow proper procedures for resident care. The investigation follows the death of Ava Price Sanders, a 93-year-old who suffocated on March 6th while trapped between her mattress and the bed railing.
A report by the state Department of Health and Human Services shows inspectors found the center did not follow mandated guidelines for using bed rails. The report also says rails were used to restrain some patients who didn’t have a medical need for them.
The report says Smith Nursing Center has since changed its policy on bed rails and has trained staffers on how to properly use devices for restraining residents.
The nursing home faces an April 5th deadline to formally dispute the report and its fine recommendation.
UUgh. What a way to die. Side rails have dangers associated with them; we have to be diligent and careful when they are used.
The nursing home down the road from me no longer uses side rails. Period. They have done away with them. They have lo beds and pads along the floors next to the beds. The beds are cool- they raise right up to go working level but go down almost to the floor. So if a resident “falls” it’s really not going to hurt them. Does your nursing home use rails?
March 29th, 2007 at 9:59 pm
Thats just horrible! I wonder what kind of siderail they used? The ones we have- a person cannot get caught up in them cause they are not rails. Thye are one piece.
How sad.
March 31st, 2007 at 6:30 pm
Our facility uses bedrails on way too many residents. There are no “guidelines” set for rail use. More or less, if you want to use it, you do. This will not be good when our State survey starts anyday.
April 3rd, 2007 at 9:19 pm
It sounds like the rails weren’t the problem. More like the mattress didn’t fit the frame perhaps? I don’t know. I HOPE they did a good investigation and will share results so this doesn’t happen again. I agree Patti what a way to die.
April 3rd, 2007 at 9:21 pm
Lisa too many nursing homes use side rails. They make up excuses. They’re are very few residents who truly need them. The staff use them for their own convenience and I know this will tick off some here…too bad…it’s true. There are so many options now- side rails should almost be banned.