Nursing home recertified despite new violations

The North Las Vegas Cheyenne Residential and Nursing Center has been recertified to house Medicaid patients, even though it received new violations from state investigators.

This is the fourth time since February that the retirement center, located at 2860 E. Cheyenne Ave., has been cited for violations by the state Bureau of Licensure and Certification.

The bureau found, in part, that: the center didn't follow up on a nurse's report of a resident threatening to commit suicide; four of 18 employees weren't fingerprinted and given background checks; a resident, whose left shoulder had been fractured, wasn't diagnosed and taken to the hospital until three days after the accident; another resident's fall lacked documentation and immediate medical treatment; and one resident with high blood-sugar levels wasn't monitored.

The state had imposed a fine of $50 a day and suspended the center from admitting new Medicaid recipients for its prior violations.

Following a July 15-16 inspection, the licensure bureau felt that these new violations weren't serious, and lifted the fines and suspension. The center was recertified on July 29.

"There was a potential for harm (in the suicide statement), but no actual harm," said Sonya King, the state health-facilities surveyor who recommended that Cheyenne Residential be reinstated. The woman did not act on her suicide threat.

"Even though we looked at these problems, we have to look at what the facility is doing to correct them. We will monitor them closely."

The nursing home facility pledged, in a written statement following the July inspection, to correct its violations.

The nursing home is licensed to house 240 people. As of the July inspection, there were 201 residents living there. Most of the residents receive Medicaid benefits.

In July, Clinton ordered states to crackdown on nursing homes that are routinely cited for violations. He wants inspections increased at varying hours and fines imposed for first-time offenses.

"We are taking Clinton's attention to our industry very seriously, and we will continue to work closely with the state to meet state requirements...," said Karen Janson, a spokeswoman for Integrated Health Services Inc. of Owings Mills, Md., the company that manages the residential facility. "We are very, very serious of meeting high standards of care."

Valerie Borg, medical services specialist supervisor with the state Medicaid department, agreed with King that there was no "immediate jeopardy" at Cheyenne Residential. She said her office will -- independently of the Bureau of Licensure and Certification -- monitor the facility monthly.

In three previous inspections since February, other violations included: residents falling and breaking bones when they tried to reach bed call lights; one elderly person awoke to find someone sleeping in her bed; some residents were discovered wandering disorientated and unsupervised through the halls and nurses administered medications that had fallen on the floor.

The President has asked Congress to increase the budget for nursing home inspections by $13 million to $167 million for next year. He is also seeking congressional approval to establish a national registry of nursing home employees convicted of abusing patients.

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