Healthcare Compliance Perspective:
It is essential to have clear policies and procedures for all potential man-made or natural disasters that are likely to impact a healthcare provider. Not only should these policies and procedures be all inclusive, but drills should also be conducted with the staff and residents to ensure that staff are aware of how to handle life-threatening situations.
A pathologist from the county medical examiner’s office reports that no steps were taken by the staff to prevent heat stroke among the residents as the temperature soared inside the Florida nursing home after last summer’s Hurricane Irma. The nursing home had no air conditioning, but the staff did nothing beyond their normal duties like providing ice chips or cold compresses to the help alleviate the suffering of residents from the heat and humidity. The pathologist felt that the staff had the opportunity save some of the lives that were lost but did nothing.
The pathologist performed five autopsies on five of the 12 residents who died after the nursing home lost power during the storm. She testified in court that one resident had a temperature that reached 109.9.
Before the nursing home made the decision to evacuate, the emergency fire rescue crews were called out five times to the home. The pathologist testified for five hours in the hearing held to decide whether to revoke the nursing home’s license and she indicated in her testimony that she believed the facility should have been evacuated earlier. Her decision was based on her thinking that when there are deaths occurring it should be an indicator for evacuation.
An attorney for the nursing home contended that evacuation was a stress and risk to the elderly residents’ lives.
A police lieutenant also testified and said there were seven spot coolers placed in the facility, but it is not known whether they were placed correctly. He said that it was cooler outside of the facility then it was inside. He said it was a very chaotic situation and they were still investigating.
Another hearing is scheduled to be held in March.
