Nursing home focus of probe

Art Nadler

Monday, March 8, 1999 | 10:46 a.m.

A North Las Vegas nursing home that last year was slapped with numerous state citations will now be investigated by the Nevada State Board of Nursing for possible nursing practice violations.

In addition, February inspections by the state Bureau of Licensure and Certification found five substantiated violations out of 28 complaints at the Cheyenne Residential and Nursing Center, 2860 E. Cheyenne Ave.

The nursing board on Friday ordered that the Cheyenne center undergo an investigation into allegations that licensed practical nurses working there may have practiced beyond their scope of duties.

The board was acting on a signed complaint it received but would not elaborate on who signed it or what the charges involved. Debra Scott, associate executive director for nursing practices, said the investigation would start immediately and could last anywhere from 30 days to a year.

Scott said the board could dismiss the case or issue a formal complaint against the nurse or nurses.

The nursing home is managed by Integrated Health Services Inc. of Owings Mills, Md.

Karen Jansen, spokesman for the firm, said today they have not been notified of the most recent investigation and so she could not comment.

The center was cited five times last year by the state Bureau of Licensure and Certification for violations that included residents being verbally abused, one man receiving unscheduled insulin, residents falling and being injured and staff not responding to residents' bed call lights.

Medicaid put the center on probation, fined it $50 and stopped new Medicaid patients from being admitted. After improvements were made in July, the fines were repealed.

At the time of the state licensing agency investigation on Feb. 8-10, there were 188 residents living in the facility.

Some incidents involved a nursing staff member wheeling a cart more than 50 feet with uncovered food on it, the facility failing to provide adequate supervision and assistance devices to patients and failing to maintain pest control.