Scranton Hospital Cited Again

By Walter F. Roche Jr.

A Scranton hospital has been cited for the second time in a month by state Health Department surveyors this time for failing to keep watch on a suicidal patient who was injured in a failed attempt.
In a report made public this week the Regional Hospital of Scranton was faulted in the care of a patient who arrived at the facility on March 7 acknowledged having suicidal thoughts. He also had "a history of cutting arms" and was regarded as a high risk for suicide.
The patient was taken to a bathroom by an employee assigned to provide a one-to-one watch, but once inside the bathroom the patient found a tongue depressor, broke it into pieces and then self inflicted an arm wound requiring two stitches.
"The facility failed to provide continuous observation of a suicidal patient that resulted in the patient lacerating themselves," the report states.
The report also faults the hospital for failing to report the incident within 24-hours as required by a state law.
The surveyors also cited the hospital for failure to eliminate suicide risks including a metal hook on the wall.
In its plan of correction hospital officials said suicidal patients will no longer be brought to bathrooms but provided with "a urinal and/commode. The plan also calls for a staff re-education program on the requirements for a one-to-one watch.
The Scranton facility was cited earlier this month for improperly transferring patients to another facility and failure to provide needed MRI services. An improper transfer also was noted in a prior report.
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