Costa Mesa Nursing Home Fined for Failing to Detect Fatal Ulcer, Infection
Published: March 2nd, 2011 • No Comments
A California long-term care facility has been fined $75,000 for nursing home neglect after a patient died in September of an undetected infection and ruptured intestinal ulcer.
State officials issued the fine late last month against Victoria Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Costa Mesa following an investigation into the death of 93-year-old Donald Bodkin. State investigators said the nursing home failed to take proper action, such as notifying Bodkin’s doctor, once he began showing symptoms that should have been an indication of a life-threatening condition.
Bodkin had only been in the facility since the month before after undergoing hip surgery. Staff members noted after a couple weeks that Bodkin had a painfully distended abdomen, low urine and a loss of appetite, but took no action to alert his doctor or have his condition assessed, state officials said. After his death, examiners determined that he had a ruptured ulcer which caused a bloodstream infection for three days to a week before he died, according to the Orange County Register.
Bodkin was only supposed to be in the facility for a month. The nursing home has said it will appeal the fine.
