Elkader Care Center Fined

The Elkader Care Center has been fined nine-thousand dollars for failing to treat a bed sore that contributed to the death of a resident. The Iowa Capital Dispatch reports that the woman was admitted back on October 4th with a shallow, open sore on her backside. The care plan allegedly failed to include any procedures for repositioning the woman on a regular basis. On October 10th, a nurse noted the wound had increased in size and allegedly told state inspectors she should have performed a more complete assessment and informed the woman’s doctor, but did neither. On October 15th, the woman was transported to a hospital emergency room after developing sepsis. The resident died on October 18th. The resident’s primary physician allegedly told inspectors that the wound could have been avoided or minimized had the staff informed her of the woman’s condition.