Photos of an 80-Year-Old Woman Slumped and Face-Down on a Pillow in an Ohio Nursing Home Causes Social Outcry
Providing inadequate supervision and leaving a vulnerable resident with limited mobility positioned face-down on a pillow may be considered neglect and substandard quality of care, resulting in the submission of a false claim.
Compliance Perspective – Supervision
Policies/Procedures: The Compliance and Ethics Officer with the Administrator and Director of Nursing will review policies and procedures on providing safe positioning and adequate supervision of residents.
Training: The Compliance and Ethics Officer with the Director of Nursing will ensure that staff are trained to respond in a timely manner to concerns about poor positioning and inadequate supervision of vulnerable residents.
Audit: The Compliance and Ethics Officer should personally conduct and document an audit of positioning of residents with restricted mobility and vulnerability to choking, and the adequacy of staff supervision.
A concerned pastor posted pictures on Facebook of an elderly resident in an Ohio Nursing Home sitting in a wheelchair at the nurse’s station with her head positioned face-down in a pillow on a countertop. The social reaction on the Internet was outrage.
The resident’s son and the minister were at the facility to visit the resident. They claim the resident was helplessly lying face-down on the pillow, choking on her saliva, and gasping for air, unable to lift her head. They also allege that they called out for help, and it was 5 to 10 minutes before anyone responded.
After the incident, the son stayed overnight at the facility to reassure himself about his mother’s care.
The facility provided a statement to the media that said, “The resident is in no distress and remains well cared for by the nursing home team of dedicated professionals. She is comfortable and safe.”
The nursing home reported that they received the family’s complaint on 2/15 and launched an internal investigation with the Ohio Department of Health (ODOH). A preliminary report from the ODOH found the complaint to be unsubstantiated.
No final written report has been issued by the ODOH, and the investigation remains open at this time.
