VAOIG Inspection of Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital

Healthcare Inspection Alleged Nursing Quality of Care Issues Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital Hines, Illinois 10/04/09. This purpose of the review was to determine the merit of allegations concerning nursing quality of care involving one nursing unit at the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital. Specifically the complainant alleged that: On two occasions, nurses attempted to administer a medication to a patient who was allergic to the medication. A nurse failed to remove a tourniquet from a patient who was diagnosed with dementia. A patient with large wounds on the buttocks was left lying in feces because the nurse called to the bedside said the next shift should clean the patient. We substantiated that nurses attempted to administer a medication to a patient who was allergic to the medication and that a nurse failed to remove a tourniquet from a patient with dementia after drawing blood for testing. We did not substantiate that a nurse left a patient lying in feces or that the nurse told the patient that the next shift should clean the patient. Although we substantiated two of the allegations, we concluded that clinical managers took appropriate administrative actions prior to our review; therefore, we made no recommendations. VAOIG