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WALLA WALLA VA CLOSES NURSING FACILITY BECAUSE
OF SUBSTANDARD CARE -- A consultant "identified
that patient care at the Community Living Center
did not meet standards of professional practice."
For more about the Walla Walla VA, use the VA
Watchdog search engine...click here...
http://www.yourvabenefits.org/sessearch.php?q=walla&op=and
Story here...
http://www.union-bulletin.com/a
rticles/2008/07/24/local_news/080724local1vahome.txt
Story below:
-------------------------
VA shuts nursing facility
A consultant hired by the Department of
Veterans Affairs found problems with care at the facility.
By ANDY PORTER of the Walla Walla
Union-Bulletin
WALLA WALLA -- Nursing home residents at the Veterans Affairs hospital
were being moved out today after a report identified substandard care at
the facility.
The closure affects residents of the Community Living Center at the
Jonathan M. Wainwright Memorial Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
The closure reportedly affects 10 patients at the facility.
Alex Glass, a spokeswoman with U.S. Sen. Patty Murray's office, said,
"according to what we have been told eight patients have been moved this
morning."
 In
a release, an official with the Department of Veterans Affairs said the
closure followed a report by an independent consultant to review VA
long-term care facilities.
The consultant "identified that patient care at the (Community Living
Center) did not meet standards of professional practice," said Christine
Hill, acting assistant secretary for the VA's Office of Congressional and
Legislative Affairs.
Among the concerns listed were medication errors, appropriateness of
nursing assessments and interventions for patients receiving narcotics for
pain, competence and certification of nursing staff in the use of
intravenous catheter medication administration and the potential for
patient injuries or falls due to unprotected exit doors.
*
Most patients were being discharged home or transferred to community
nursing homes, Hill said, but some will transfer to other VA community
living centers.
Glass said Murray learned about problems with the Walla Walla facility
last week in a conversation with VA Secretary James Peake and spoke last
night with Dr. Michael Kussman, undersecretary for veterans health
administration.
In a statement this morning, Murray said she was "very concerned by these
findings.
"Patient safety must be the top priority of the VA. I have spoken with
Secretary Peake and have been assured that the VA is taking this situation
seriously and taking immediate action to keep patients safe. These
findings underscore what I have been saying for years - the VA needs to
build a new, state-of-the-art nursing home facility at Walla Walla," she
said.
In addition to validating the findings of the consultant, the Long Term
Care Institute, a separate internal review by the VA confirmed problems
related to infection control, medication dispensing and the "environment
of care" at the 80-year-old facility, the release said.
DeAnn Dietrich, medical center acting director, said the hospital has
taken measures to ensure all patients were safe.
"We are very concerned with these findings," Dietrich said in the release.
"Relocating our patients is about doing what is best for them right now
and in the long run. Quality of care and patient safety must be the top
priority of our staff for every veteran we serve."
Andy Porter can be reached at
andyporter@wwub.com or 525-3300, ext. 282.
-------------------------
posted by Larry
Scott
Founder and Editor
VA Watchdog dot Org
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