State Health Department Cites Cold Spring Nursing Home After Patient Death

COLD SPRING - State health officials have cited the Assumption Home in Cold Spring for neglect.

The Minnesota Department of Health says their investigation found the neglect played a role in a resident's death in January.  The woman died of asphyxiation after her neck became lodged between the bed's mattress and bed rail.

The Department of Health found that the nursing home should be cited for neglect because there was no evidence that the nursing home assessed the risks versus benefits of using a bed rail, sometimes called a grab bar.

The resident suffered from dementia, impaired mobility, chronic pain, and a history of falls out of wheel chairs and beds.

Assumption Home is back in compliance now with a corrective plan to avoid similar incidents.