By Walter F. Roche Jr.
UPDATED
A state of "immediate jeopardy" was declared at a behavioral unit at the Crozer-Chester Medical Center when state health inspectors found loopable devices which could be used for suicide.
The report, just made public last week, cites a series of other violations of state and federal standards in the same unit including a non-working monitor and improper use of restraints.
The immediate jeopardy declaration forced hospital officials to prepare an immediate response to abate the risk to patients.
"Immediate jeopardy," the report states, is a situation in which a violation of standards "caused or is likely to cause serious injury, harm, impairment or death."
The violations were found in the hospital's Rejuvenation" program. A hospital spokesman said there were 20 beds in the unit for elderly behavioral patients.
The non-working monitor was one of several used to keep patients under constant surveillance. Though other monitors were working, staffers told state surveyors that they did not monitor the monitors.
"We are not required to monitor patient activity," one staffer told the surveyors.
Restraints, inspectors found, were kept in place for excessive periods and a physician failed to state the reason for the restraint in the record for one patient.
An examination of patient treatment plans showed some were not updated while others were not sign or initialized.
In the dietary area, the inspectors found that logs of temperatures on refrigerators were missing and unsanitary conditions, including human hair, were found in one refrigerator.
A hospital spokesman said the facility has been working with state health officials on development and implementation of a corrective action plan.
"We have made all of the upgrades required," said spokesman Rich Lenowitz.
No comments:
Post a Comment