Published: August 22, 2008 11:05 pm      

Laurel Crest awaiting word on correction plan

EBENSBURG — Cambria County’s embattled nursing home has not yet fully satisfied state inspectors that deficiencies dating back several months have been corrected, and Laurel Crest’s administrator says she still is negotiating problem areas.

Inspectors have visited the 370-bed facility nine times so far this year, state Health Department records show. That’s less than the 21 visits last year when Laurel Crest was plagued with deficiencies and operated for a time on a provisional license, but violations still are being cited.

This follows staff cuts of 17 nurse’s aides in April, more state inspections after that, and Wednesday’s warning from County Controller Ed Cernic Jr. that the facility is bleeding so much red ink that $4 million is needed to pay bills and make payroll.

County commissioners have argued that the facility is improving, both financially and in terms of state compliance, but that staff is resistant to change.

Commissioner Bill Harris said Friday that he was unaware of recent state visits or that Laurel Crest was still out of compliance in some areas.

“I didn’t know anything about it,” said Harris, the only commissioner available for comment. “If that’s the case, they (the other commissioners) have not told me.”

State inspectors last were at the facility on July 31, Administrator Deborah Nesbella said.

She declined to detail their findings, or whether the status of Laurel Crest’s license is being threatened. She said she would discuss those details only after the state has accepted her plan for corrections.

“We’re going back and forth. We’re negotiating a plan of correction, but I can’t go into specifics. When we both accept it, it will become public information,” she said.

So far, the state has not accepted every aspect of Laurel Crest’s plan of correction, she said.

Deficiencies “run the gamut,” she said. “The department’s interpretation and our interpretation are often two different things.”

Nesbella also said she is not discussing specifics with staff members until the state has accepted the corrective plan.

“When the department and we come to an agreement, then we will discuss things with the staff.”

The most recent reports on the state Health Department’s Web site refer to cited deficiencies that indicate some updated care plans have not been followed.

For example, a care plan updated on June 6 showed that staff was to provide incontinent care to a resident every two hours and as needed.

State inspectors reported that on June 24 they observed the same resident “soiled with feces” and that staff had not performed incontinent care for 3 hours and 25 minutes, when the resident was soiled again.

Other cases cited involved blood clots, pressure sores and a lack of effort to maintain toileting ability, records show.

State health officials say that when inspectors have finished a survey, they summarize their findings verbally in talks with the administrator, staff and residents. They then write a report of their observations, and the nursing home submits a proposed plan of correction.

Nesbella said she does not expect another provisional license, although she stressed that it is always possible.

“Any time the state Health Department comes in and gives you deficiencies, it’s possible. A provisional license is always possible under those conditions,” she said.