L.A. Nursing Home Fined $75K

The California Department of Public Health has fined a Los Angeles nursing care facility $75,000 for the death of a resident in 2013.

            The patient, who had congestive obstructive pulmonary disease and other respiratory issues, received assistance with breathing and was completely dependent on the staff of the Topanga Terrace skilled nursing facility in the Canoga Park section of Los Angeles.

            However, the patient pulled out their tracheostomy tube two times on consecutive days and staff did not formulate a plan to make the tube more secure, despite the fact that each of those incidents led to serious oxygen deprivation. Four days after that, the patient pulled out the tube a third time and died as a result.

            Topanga Terrace agreed to a plan of correction that would include closer monitoring of patients with breathing tubes, with particular attention to newly admitted patients.

            In addition to the fine, Topanga Terrace also received a “AA” citation, the most severe under state law.