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32 | S1 stated that R1 did not complain of pain immediately following the fall. S1 did note that later in the evening of May 18, 2016, R1 complained of pain. S1 stated that R1’s son instructed the facility to wait to send R1 to the hospital. Facility staff interviewed indicated that R1 complained of pain through the night and was not sent to the hospital until May 19, 2016, the following day. R1 returned to the facility on May 19, 2016 with Emergency Department (ED) notes from the hospital indicating no injuries, but was given a prescription for Tramadol, a narcotic pain medication. According to the Mayo Clinic, “Tramadol is used to relieve moderate to moderately severe pain, including pain after surgery.”
During the course of the Department’s investigation, the Department discovered that on March 28, 2016, R1 sustained a fall at the facility. On that same day, R1 was taken to the Emergency Department (ED) for medical evaluation. R1 returned to the facility without further medical findings. On March 29, 2016, R1 was taken to the hospital based on recommendation of R1’s primary care physician to R1’s family members. R1 was then diagnosed with a fractured left hip and underwent a partial hip replacement.
On April 1, 2016, R1 was discharged from the hospital following a successful hip replacement surgery. R1 then went to a skilled nursing facility (SNF) and resided there until May 3, 2016. The Department’s review of the facility’s “Milestone Assessment”, dated April 28, 2016, indicated that R1 was a fall risk. This assessment was completed when R1 was accepted back to Sierra Ridge Senior Living from the SNF. The facility failed to implement a fall awareness plan despite documentation that R1 was a fall risk.
The Department reviewed Care Progress notes (alert charting, heightened frequency care notes) which indicates R1 complaining of pain on May 20, 2016, May 21, 2016, May 22, 2016, and May 23, 2016. These notes were documented by various facility staff members. The facility failed to contact the doctor for four (4) days. R1’s daughter visited R1 on May 23, 2016 and took R1 to Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital emergency department because she observed R1 screaming in pain when staff transferred R1 from R1’s wheelchair to a recliner. R1 was diagnosed with two hairline fractures of the pelvis. Based on a review of hospice care notes, R1 was placed on hospice on or around May 28, 2016. R1 expired on June 17, 2016 due to end stage dementia as documented on R1’s Death Certificate. |