Last month I wrote about an investigation of multiple incidents of nursing home neglect at the Bridgeway Christian Village Rehab and Special Need Facility. The incidents that were recorded seemed minor but were, in fact, very dangerous: CNAs (Certified Nurses Aides) were delaying changing residents at the ends of their shifts. This pushed more responsibility onto the staff who were beginning shifts. Not only can this practice lead to bed sores and other infections, but it creates a chain reaction of neglect.
It seemed clear that if the Bensenville, Illinois facility failed to course-correct, someone was going to suffer the consequences. In March of this year, someone did.
A resident suffered a cardiac event (commonly known as a heart attack) early in the morning of March 28th. An early morning check revealed the resident unresponsive with streaks of vomit on her face and gown. Rather than immediately calling for an ambulance and starting CPR, the staff members wasted critical hours.
Emergency medical personnel finally arrived at Bridgeway Christian Village almost 20 minutes later, and were directed to the wrong wing of the facility.
The proper response to a full code (the term used for a life threatening event) is to immediately call emergency personnel and begin CPR.
Often, nursing home neglect cases center around dramatic incidents and events like bed sores or nursing home falls.
All too often, however, a simple lack of training can allow precious minutes to tick by as staff members sit on their hands. In many cases, like this one, action comes far too late to be of any use.
If you have a loved one who has passed away in an Illinois nursing home, and you feel they have suffered a wrongful death due to nursing home neglect, contact our Chicago nursing home lawyers for a free and confidential evaluation of your case. At my law offices we never charge a fee unless we take, and win, your case.