3 residents of Elkhorn nursing home die from COVID-19

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US LIVE WITH THEIR GROWING WORRIES. MICHELLE: CONCERNED STAFF MEMBERS CALLED 911 YESTERDAY FOR A WELFARE CHECK ON RESIDENTS, SAYING THE FACILITY IS NOT DOING ENOUGH TO CARE FOR THEM. AND WHILE INVESTIGATORS NOW LOOK INTO THE HANDLING OF THE COVID-19 CRISIS, ONE STAFF MEMBER SAYS THE RESIDENTS ARE IN DANGER. THE SIGN ON THE FRONT LAWN OF A STAFF MEMBER’S HOME RATES, “OUR HOUSE HAS COVID-19 BECAUSE OF LIFE CARE CENTER ELKHORN. THE RESIDENTS ARE NOT OK.”>> SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE AND DONE SOON, OR THERE WILL START BEING DEATHS. MICHELLE: THE STAFF WORKER DOESN’T WANT TO REVEAL HER IDENTITY FOR FEAR OF RETRIBUTION. SHE SAYS SHE IS NOT A CERTIFIED NURSING ASSISTANT, BUT ALLEGES — BUT ALLEGES SHE’S BEEN ASKED TO DO A CNA’S WORK BECAUSE THE FACILITY IS SO SHORT-STAFFED. DUE TO STAFF MEMBERS BEING ILL AND HOME SICK, PEOPLE ARE PULLING DOUBLE SHIFTS, SO THEY ARE EXHAUSTED. THERE ARE ALSO SYMPTOMATIC EMPLOYEES THEY ARE NOT LETTING GO HOME. MICHELLE: AS OF SUNDAY, 22 STAFF MEMBERS HAD TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19. 30 OTHERS WERE NEGATIVE. THE STAFFER WE SPOKE WITH SAYS SHE INITIALLY TESTED NEGATIVE LAST WEEK AT THE CARE CENTER, BUT SHE SAID SHE HAD SYMPTOMS, SO SHE WENT TO HER OWN DOCTOR AND THEN TESTED POSITIVE. AND PRIOR TO THE GETTING THAT SECOND TEST RESULT, SHE SAYS SHE CALLED IN SICK.>> I JUST FELT VERY BULLIED TO COME INTO WORK. MICHELLE: THE WOMAN PROVIDED TEXT MESSAGES SHE SAYS SHE EXCHANGED WITH HER SUPERVISORS. “IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE NEED YOU AT WORK TOMORROW.” ANOTHER TEXT SAYS SHE WILL BE REQUIRED TO REPORT TO WORK, OR “YOU APPLY THE ATTENDANCE POLICY.”>> A LOT OF OUR EMPLOYEES TESTED POSITIVE, SO THEY ARE STAYING HOME. MICHELLE: 63-YEAR-OLD JANIE MCKENZIE IS ONE OF THE POSITIVE PATIENTS. SHE HAS MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS AND SAYS IT TAKES HOURS BEFORE SOMEONE CAN HELP CLEAN HER AFTER SHE SOILS HERSELF. SHE WANTS THE STATE TO EVACUATE HER AND THE REST OF THE RESIDENTS TO A HOSPITAL.>> IF THEY’RE LICENSED NURSES WORKING, AND THAT’S WHAT IS IN A HOSPITAL, THE CARE WOULD BE MUCH BETTER, MUCH BETTER.>> IT’S VERY SAD, HOW IT ALL SPREAD SO QUICKLY. MICHELLE: THE MOST RECENT INSPECTION REPORT AVAILABLE TO US ON LIFE CARE CENTER OF ELKHORN IS FROM JUNE 27 OF 201.9 — OF 2019. ACCORDING TO MEDICARE.GOV, THE FACILITY RECEIVED ONE STAR OUT OF 5 — MUCH BELOW AVERAGE. THE REPORT NOTES INSPECTORS FOUND SIX HEALTH CITATIONS IN ITS MOST RECENT INSPECTION. THE REPORT INCLUDED SOME DOCUMENTATION ERRORS, A MEDICATION ERROR, AND IN ONE CASE, FOR VIOLATIONG INFECTION — VIOLATING INFECTION, PREVENTION, AND CONTROL PROCEDURES. THE REPORT SAYS IN JUNE OF LAST YEAR, A REGISTERED NURSE DID NOT USE HAND SANITIZER OR WASH HANDS BEFORE PROVIDING A RESIDENT WITH MEDICATION. THE NURSE ALSO CONDUCTED A BLOOD SUGAR TEST WITHOUT PRACTICING HA