Nursing Home Is Fined After Hurt Resident Dies State

Nurses Allegedly Waited Too Long To Call Paramedics

JOLIET — State health officials have fined a Joliet nursing home $10,000 because its nurses allegedly waited a half hour before calling paramedics after they found a 74-year-old resident in full cardiac arrest.

The Illinois Department of Public Health announced the fine against Glenwood Care Center, 222 N. Hammes, in a press release on Tuesday. A state public health report obtained by The Herald News earlier this year says that the nurses who found an unresponsive Lorraine Carlson at 11:20 p.m. on Jan. 27 waited 36 minutes before contacting a private ambulance service.

Paramedics, who arrived two minutes after receiving the call, put Carlson on a heart monitor at 11:58 p.m. and discovered that she was experiencing rapid contractions, according to the public health report. She was rushed to Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead in the emergency room 28 minutes later.

The attending nurse told public health investigators that “the delay in calling the ambulance was due to (the nurse) being so busy doing other things,” according to the report.

Will County State’s Attorney Jeff Tomczak sued the nursing home earlier this year. To avoid a legal battle, the nursing home agreed to allow a temporary administrator to take over the facility for a five- month period beginning in April. The interim administrator exited the facility on Aug. 1 after giving the nursing home a clean bill of health.

Carlson’s family also has filed a lawsuit against Glenwood Care Center.

The nursing home is contesting the fine and the allegations made by public health officials. The nurse who was responsible for Carlson’s care was suspended and eventually was fired.