Good Samaritan Society - Las Cruces Village
Good Samaritan Society – Las Cruces Village is a low-rated nonprofit skilled nursing facility in Las Cruces with a significant history of health violations and low-quality care. If your loved one has suffered nursing home abuse at Good Samaritan Society – Las Cruces Village, Levin & Perconti can help.
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- Why Levin & Perconti Is the Best Choice
- About Good Samaritan Society – Las Cruces Village
- Good Samaritan Society – Las Cruces Village Ratings
- History of Nursing Home Abuse at Good Samaritan Society – Las Cruces Village
- Health Violations at Good Samaritan Society – Las Cruces Village
- Quality of Care at Good Samaritan Society – Las Cruces Village
- What to Do If You Suspect Abuse at Good Samaritan Society – Las Cruces Village
- Good Samaritan Society – Las Cruces Village Nursing Home Abuse Lawsuit
Approximately one in six older adults in community settings experience nursing home abuse, and the occurrence is even higher in skilled nursing facilities, according to the World Health Organization. Nursing home abuse can lead to serious long-term health complications, including premature or wrongful death.
Nursing homes are meant to provide a safe, supportive environment where residents receive a reasonable standard of care. Any deviation from this amounts to medical malpractice. A Las Cruces nursing home abuse lawyer at Levin & Perconti can hold nursing homes like Good Samaritan Society – Las Cruces Village accountable for nursing home abuse and neglect.
About Good Samaritan Society - Las Cruces Village
Good Samaritan Society – Las Cruces Village is a non-profit continuing care community with a 94-bed skilled nursing facility. It is owned by The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society. The facility is located at:
3025 Terrace Drive
Las Cruces, NM 88011
Phone: (575) 522-1362
Good Samaritan Society – Las Cruces Village offers the following services:
- Independent living
- Assisted living
- Inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation
- Long-term care
- Respite care
- Hospice care
Good Samaritan Society - Las Cruces Village Ratings
Good Samaritan Society – Las Cruces Village has earned a one-star overall rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). This rating is considered “much below average” and is the lowest rating a nursing home can receive. Nursing Home Database rates this facility as four of six facilities in a 10-mile radius and seven of nine facilities in a 25-mile radius. It has a 3.8-star rating on Google reviews.
History of Nursing Home Abuse at Good Samaritan Society - Las Cruces Village
CMS has not flagged Good Samaritan Society – Las Cruces Village for abuse, but this does not mean your loved one is safe at this facility. According to the World Health Organization, only four percent of elder abuse is reported.
Approximately two-thirds of nursing home staff surveyed admitted to committing some form of abuse in the last year. This is in addition to nursing home abuse perpetrated by visitors, other residents, and contractors.
One of the leading causes of abuse in nursing homes is understaffing. The primary cause of staff burnout is low staff-to-resident ratios, which leads to poor working conditions, including:
- Long hours
- Work overload
- Poor employee morale
- Inadequate training
Staffing levels at Good Samaritan Society – Las Cruces Village are rated by CMS as much below average. This rating is based on a comparison of nursing homes nationwide. The average nursing home is understaffed. Thus, even a staff rating of average would be inadequate to prevent employee burnout and reduce the risk of nursing home abuse.
Staffing Issues at Good Samaritan Society - Las Cruces Village
Residents at Good Samaritan Society – Las Cruces Village receive above-average hours of care overall per resident, but a higher-than-average percentage of care is provided by nursing aides. Nursing aide care is no substitute for care that should be provided by registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs).
Nursing aides, also known as certified nursing assistants or CNAs, have less specialized training than nurses. CNAs are dedicated caregivers who are stretched too thin and poorly compensated. They endure the poorest working conditions of all nursing home staff and are most likely to experience burnout.
At Good Samaritan Society – Las Cruces Village, residents receive 25 percent less RN care than the state and national averages. Las Cruces Village also has significantly higher RN turnover compared with the state and national averages, indicating that working conditions at this facility are poor for even the most highly trained staff.
Health Violations at Good Samaritan Society - Las Cruces Village
The state inspects nursing homes annually and reports the results to CMS. Inspections are performed more often if the state agency receives complaints. Good Samaritan Society – Las Cruces Village has received 34 inspections since 2005, indicating a high number of complaints.
Inspections of Good Samaritan Society – Las Cruces Village during the past year have resulted in 22 health and safety citations. This is significantly higher than the national average of 8.5 and the state average of 15.6. The facility has faced federal fines of $69,550 during the past three years.
March 2022 Health Inspection
The annual health inspection on March 22, 2022, resulted in Good Samaritan Society – Las Cruces Village receiving numerous citations for deficiencies in patient care, dignity, and protection.
Patient Dignity and Self-Determination
Good Samaritan Society – Las Cruces Village failed to protect the dignity of the three patients reviewed by failing to provide catheter bag privacy covers and failing to cover a patient’s backside after showering.
Information and Records Deficiencies
Good Samaritan Society – Las Cruces Village failed to notify patients and their representatives of important changes and information, including the following:
- Advance notice of a room change
- Transfer to the hospital
- The length of time the nursing home will hold a resident’s bed proceeding admission to the hospital
The facility failed to properly complete advance directives forms for all 12 residents whose files were reviewed during the inspection. This can prevent each resident’s wishes from being respected at the end of life and when health emergencies arise.
Inadequate Patient Supervision
Good Samaritan Society – Las Cruces Village failed to provide adequate supervision to all 12 residents in the memory care unit due to understaffing. A CNA informed the inspector that he was working the floor alone and had to leave all the other residents unattended when a resident required one-on-one care.
Another CNA worked alone for two hours in the assisted living unit on the day of the inspection with similar limitations.
Patient Care Deficiencies
Good Samaritan Society – Las Cruces Village failed to develop a care plan within 48 hours of admission for one patient reviewed. The facility also failed to complete a care plan within seven days of the comprehensive assessment of four of the 12 patients sampled, resulting in the following deficiencies:
- Failure to allow a resident to participate in care plan meetings
- Failure to document the need for two-person transfers for two residents
- Failure to document the use of respiratory equipment
Good Samaritan Society – Las Cruces failed to provide a memory care resident with a two-person transfer because the CNA was working alone and was not informed of the resident’s needs.
Understaffing also led to an LPN’s failure to add notes to hospice patients’ charts throughout her shift. The LPN also did not know where the paperwork was. The hospice information is not integrated with the electronic medical records as required.
The inspector observed that a resident was in pain with a swollen hand, but no pain medication was provided. According to the president’s son, she had been in pain since he arrived that morning. An LPN stated that she had noticed the swelling two days prior.
Good Samaritan Society – Las Cruces Village failed to facilitate communication with the dialysis center to ensure the resident received dialysis as ordered.
Medication Management Deficiencies
Good Samaritan Society – Las Cruces Village failed to ensure a licensed pharmacist reviewed at least one resident’s drug regimen on a monthly basis. The facility also prescribed medication for an incorrect diagnosis with no documentation of a physician’s rationale for prescribing the medication.
Infection Control Violations
Good Samaritan Society – Las Cruces Village committed multiple infection control violations, endangering the safety of all residents:
- Failure to wear surgical masks inside the facility to protect residents and staff from COVID-19 infections
- Failure to use N95 masks while caring for COVID patients
- Failure to perform hand hygiene for all 12 residents in the memory care unit before meals
- Failure to keep the COVID observation room door closed
- Presence of feces in the shower room, including soiled wipes on top of the shower chair and dried feces on the floor
Inadequate Staff Training
Good Samaritan Society – Las Cruces Village failed to provide at least one CNA with the required dementia care training and education regarding abuse, neglect, and exploitation.
Complaint Inspection
The complaint inspection on December 20, 2021, revealed serious deficiencies that impact patient safety.
Failure to Timely Report and Investigate Suspected Resident Abuse
Good Samaritan Society – Las Cruces Village failed to report two cases of suspected resident-to-resident abuse to the New Mexico Department of Health Improvement within the required time frames:
- Failure to report the abuse within two hours of the incident
- Failure to investigate and file a written follow-up report within five days
Medication Management Deficiencies
Good Samaritan Society – Las Cruces Village failed to lock the medication cart. Other medication management deficiencies include the following:
- Failure to provide a doctor’s rationale for prescribing medication for longer than the recommended time frame
- Failure of nursing staff to provide medication as prescribed
Infection Control Deficiencies
Good Samaritan Society – Las Cruces Village failed to provide the residents with adequate COVID-19 protection when an LPN failed to wear a face mask while at the nursing station. The facility also placed a new resident with other residents before his COVID vaccination status could be verified.
Quality of Care at Good Samaritan Society - Las Cruces Village
The quality of care at Good Samaritan Society – Las Cruces Village has the lowest possible overall rating of one star based on the combined short-stay and long-stay metrics.
Short-Stay Quality Measures
Short-stay residents are those residents whose stay is 100 days or fewer with a goal of returning to a previous setting, such as their home. Good Samaritan Society – Las Cruces Village’s short-stay quality rating is one star, or much below average. Areas of concern include the following:
- 18.1 percent of residents had outpatient emergency department visits, compared with a national average of 11.8 percent.
- 9.6 percent of residents developed new pressure ulcers or experienced worsened pressure ulcers, compared with just 2.8 percent nationwide.
- Short-stay residents at Good Samaritan Society – Las Cruces Village were less likely than the national average to experience improvements in their mobility.
Long-Stay Quality Measures
The long-stay quality rating is one star. According to CMS, long-stay residents at Good Samaritan Society – Las Cruces Village are more than twice as likely as the national average to visit the emergency room.
Antipsychotic Medications
Twenty percent of residents at Good Samaritan Society – Las Cruces Village receive antipsychotic medication compared with 14.5 percent nationally and 16.8 percent statewide. This is an indication that antipsychotic medication may be used as a form of chemical restraint to substitute for care.
Falls with Injuries
Inadequate supervision at Good Samaritan Society – Las Cruces Village has resulted in 9.2 percent of residents experiencing falls with major injury compared with 3.4 percent nationally and 3.3 percent across New Mexico.
Pressure Ulcers
Long-stay residents at Good Samaritan Society – Las Cruces Village are more likely than residents across the state and nation to develop pressure ulcers, at 13.3 percent. Pressure ulcers are red flags of nursing home neglect, which may include the following:
- Failure to adjust a patient’s position frequently
- Leaving the patient in wet or soiled briefs or sheets
- Inadequate wound care
Bowel and Urinary Problems
A shocking 12.9 percent of residents at this facility have urinary tract infections compared with 2.3 percent and 1.7 percent across the nation and state, respectively. Residents at Good Samaritan Society – Las Cruces Village are more than twice as likely as residents nationwide to have catheters left in their bladders 24/7.
Residents at this facility are also more likely to lose control of their bladders or bowels, with 57.4 percent of residents affected compared with a national average of 47.2 percent and a state average of 42.7 percent.
Reduced Mobility and Independence
Long-stay residents at Good Samaritan Society – Las Cruces Village experienced reduced mobility 26.4 percent of the time compared with 16.2 percent nationally and 17.6 percent statewide.
Similarly, 29.1 percent of residents in this facility experienced increased dependence on staff for assistance with daily activities compared with 14.8 percent nationally and 16.9 percent statewide.
Weight Loss
An alarmingly high percentage of residents at Good Samaritan Society – Las Cruces Village lose too much weight, at 15.9 percent, compared with 6.2 percent nationally and seven percent statewide. This is a red flag for neglect.
What to Do If You Suspect Abuse at Good Samaritan Society - Las Cruces Village
If you suspect your loved one is facing nursing home abuse at Good Samaritan Society – Las Cruces Village, you can take a stand to help your loved one. Report the abuse to the nursing home administrator immediately.
You should also contact the New Mexico Long-Term Care Ombudsman and the Division of Health Improvement at the New Mexico Department of Health.
A long-term care ombudsman provides advocacy to long-term care residents in nursing homes, including reporting abuse, investigating abuse allegations, and visiting patients. You can reach the New Mexico Long-Term Care Ombudsman by calling (866) 451-2901.
The Division of Health Improvement will require Good Samaritan Society – Las Cruces Village to investigate your report of abuse and provide a written follow-up within five days. You can reach the division by calling (800) 752-8649.
Nursing home abuse is generally a criminal offense that should be investigated by law enforcement. You can reach the Las Cruces Police Department at (575) 528-4200. If your loved one is in danger, call 911.
Contact a Las Cruces nursing home abuse lawyer as soon as possible. They will investigate the abuse and help you file a civil claim against Good Samaritan Society – Las Cruces Village.
Good Samaritan Society - Las Cruces Village Nursing Home Abuse Lawsuit
If you or your loved one has experienced any of the following at Las Cruces Village, you can pursue significant damages in a nursing home abuse lawsuit:
Nursing home abuse cases are complex and require the assistance of a nursing home abuse lawyer with experience handling these types of cases. Levin & Perconti’s Las Cruces nursing home abuse attorneys are passionate about giving a voice to our vulnerable elders who might otherwise be silenced. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.
Why Levin & Perconti Is the Best Choice
Levin & Perconti has handled nursing home abuse cases for more than 30 years. Nursing home providers are large companies with a history of significant medical malpractice with limited accountability. We were one of the first law firms in the nation to stand up to nursing homes.
Below are just a few examples of the results we consistently achieve on behalf of our nursing home abuse clients:
- $4.1 million record-breaking jury verdict for an 85-year-old nursing home resident who was injured as a result of medication mismanagement
- $2.9 million record nursing home jury verdict on behalf of the family of a 57-year-old resident who suffocated to death due to negligent tracheostomy tube care
- $2.8 million record nursing home pressure sore settlement for a 59-year-old resident who developed numerous infected bedsores that took four years to heal
- $1.5 million settlement against a nursing home that violated the Nursing Home Care Reform Act by failing to monitor a mentally impaired resident while smoking, leading to severe burns and death
Testimonials
Not only were they so professional but also so caring and thoughtful. It was very difficult going over the facts in our mother's case but they were so compassionate and understanding and allowed us to be with them every step of the way. We were able to sit in on the depositions and we were really able to see how hard they worked on our behalf.
During that time, my family and I suffered the loss of my mother. Mr. Levin and Mr. Perconti were more than just our lawyers. Words can’t really express our gratitude.
They were most patient and responded timely to many questions throughout the entire process. All demonstrated professionalism and extensive knowledge of case and state laws. Their in-depth investigative work uncovered details which were unknown to us and yet sadly confirmed our suspicions. We would recommend the Levin and Perconti Law firm and especially this team.
During that time, my family and I suffered the loss of my mother. Mr. Levin and Mr. Peconti were more than just our lawyers. Words can’t really express our gratitude. My family and I will always be grateful for the compassion that they showed us. I want to thank you for what you did for my family, and for always being there for us.
Margaret’s representation, guidance, and professionalism gave us the sense that we could put our trust in Levin & Perconti and the final outcome proved that to be true.
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Steven M. Levin
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Notable Results
VERDICT
on behalf of an 85-year-old woman injured in a nursing home when her medications were mismanaged.
VERDICT
for the estate of a 67-year-old man who died from complications related to a fall
SETTLEMENT
for a 59-year-old resident who developed multiple painful and infected bedsores which took four years to heal.
