Nursing Home Resident At Goldwater Care Died After Medication Error
Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect - December 21, 2024
Investigation Underway After Goldwater Care Nursing Home Resident Died After Allegedly Being Given Incorrect Medication Dosage
GIBSON CITY, ILLINOIS (December 21, 2024) – A nursing home resident at Goldwater Care in Gibson City died after a medication error, according to the Department of Health.
The Department of Health issued a citation for Goldwater Care. A resident was allegedly given a wrong dose of blood-thinning medication in June.
That error continued for more than three weeks until the death of the patient in July. Goldwater Care received a citation for the incident in September.
Blood tests identified dangerously high levels of the medication in the patient prior to their death. A full investigation into the death remains ongoing at this time.
Liability for Deaths in Illinois Nursing Homes
Preventable deaths in long-term care facilities are unfortunately all too common. According to one study in the National Institutes of Health, “Of 21672 deaths of nursing home residents, 3289 (15.2%) resulted from external causes. The most frequent mechanisms of death were falls (2679 cases, 81.5%), choking (261 cases, 7.9%) and suicide (146 cases, 4.4%). The incidents leading to death usually occurred in the nursing home (95.8%), but the deaths more frequently occurred outside the nursing home (67.1%).” Nursing homes should take a number of actions to prevent deaths.
- Nursing homes should maintain adequate staffing levels at all times to ensure a proper staff-to-resident ratio.
- Nursing homes should train all staff on medical care and emergency response protocols.
- Nursing homes should have safety measures, including non-slip flooring, to prevent falls, one of the leading causes of injury in a nursing home setting.
- Nursing homes should ensure proper administration of all medications by a trained medical professional.
Nursing homes have a legal obligation to take reasonable measures in order to prevent deaths. This requires that they adhere to all safety protocols and federal regulations for long-term care facilities. If a nursing home fails to give a resident the correct medication, which results in their death, this could form the basis of a negligence claim. It is important that the circumstances surrounding any nursing home death are properly understood.
- Medical records related to the death should be collected.
- The actions of nursing home staff leading up to the death should be understood.
- Surveillance footage related to the incident should be reviewed.
- Citations related to the incident should be examined.
Deaths at nursing homes are often highly preventable. They tend to involve systematic failures within a nursing home setting, as opposed to the wrongful actions of a single person. This could include instances where a nursing home does not have properly trained medical staff. It may also include nursing homes that simply do not have enough employees to provide residents with the personalized care that they need.
Investigating Gibson City Nursing Home Resident Deaths
We at Horwitz Horwitz & Associates extend our deepest condolences to the family of the Goldwater Care resident who died. There needs to be a thorough investigation into what went wrong. It is our sincere hope that measures are taken to prevent similar tragedies down the road.
Have you or someone that you care about been harmed at a nursing home in Gibson City? You may have legal recourse. Our team of nursing home abuse attorneys is here to help in any way that we can. We care deeply that nursing home residents are aware of their rights and that nursing homes are held accountable for their neglect. Whether you just have legal questions or need any type of support, we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (312) 564-4256.
