Inspectors say vet care improves at state home

The state-run nursing home for veterans has been cited again, this time for neglect after a resident in an electric wheelchair sheared off three of his toes.

But inspectors say that, overall, their latest review of the Arizona State Veteran Home in Phoenix showed a facility on the right track a year after state regulators deemed residents there in "immediate jeopardy."

So it was a surprise to many Monday when the director of the state Department of Veterans Services, who oversees the nursing home, announced he would retire July 1.

Richard Maxon still hadn't been confirmed by the state Senate, but a key lawmaker said his nomination was scheduled for next week. More than 90 gubernatorial appointees are pending Senate confirmation.

Department spokesman Dave Hampton said Maxon, a retired National Guard brigadier general, decided that 35 years of public service was enough.

"He just wanted to take care of the family," Hampton said.

Before he leaves, however, Maxon may see the nursing home fined again. That's on top of more than $20,000 already paid in state and federal fines for previous infractions.

The home for military veterans received 24 citations in the latest inspection by the state Department of Health Services, several stemming from an incident in March when a paraplegic dragged his left foot along the concrete while operating his motorized wheelchair on the grounds.

Weeks earlier the man had crashed "full force" into a lobby wall and a glass patio door, and staff members recommended a speed regulator to slow him down.

That never happened, according to the department's report, and on his way to the hospital store March 11, the man's left foot came out of the chair. A staff member who came to help the resident "allowed the resident's foot to continue dragging on the asphalt and concrete as he felt ‘the damage was already done.'"

One witness described the man as having "only nubs left" where the toes had been. He was taken to a hospital trauma unit and had three toes amputated.

"Up to the present, we have not been implementing our policies for those electric wheelchairs," a staff member said.

Regulators also cited the facility for failing to recognize a recurrent bedsore, not properly monitoring the use of psychiatric medication, staff members handling food with bare hands and leaving a pharmacy cart unlocked in the hallway.

In addition, four building and fire code violations found during the March 28 inspection were corrected last month.

Administrators for the 200-bed nursing home have issued a plan of correction, and health inspectors will return for another inspection in the coming weeks. A fine is possible, said Sylvia Balistreri, program manager for long-term care licensing.

But Balistreri said the facility is in much better shape than when Maxon took over.

"While they had this (wheelchair) event, and certainly it was egregious, the department is feeling like they're starting to make some progress," she said.

"It was one isolated event that created problems for them on this particular survey."

Gov. Janet Napolitano appointed Maxon to lead the agency after embattled director Patrick Chorpenning resigned in the wake of a scorching inspection report that became public in March 2007.

Sen. Jack Harper, R-Surprise, said Maxon would have had no trouble getting confirmed by his House Government Committee.

"We all have a lot of respect for the general," he said.