Washington Soldiers Home Ordered To Take Corrective Action To Protect Residents

Listen

The Washington Soldiers Home has been ordered to take steps to protect it residents. The order by outside regulators follows a recent investigation that found “widespread deficiencies” at the nursing home for veterans.

The Washington Soldiers Home is a state-run facility that serves veterans, their spouses or widows and Gold Star parents.

In late February, a complaint triggered an unannounced inspection of the Soldiers Home. That inspection turned up numerous serious issues and residents were found to be in “immediate jeopardy.”

One resident had an open wound that exposed muscle and tendon. Since then, top officials at the Washington Department of Veterans Affairs have taken over operation of the Soldiers Home and fired the superintendent and director of nursing.

But the turnaround is not yet complete. A letter dated April 25 requires the Soldiers Home to make significant improvements. Staff must be retrained to recognize resident abuse and neglect.

The facility must also develop a comprehensive plan to protect its 88 residents going forward.

Copyright 2017 NWNews. To see more, visit NWNews.

Related Stories:

Mary Bridge Children's Hospital in Tacoma has been around for 70 years. Physicians there are now attempting to form a union. (Credit: Lauren Gallup // NWPB)

Tacoma physicians are trying to unionize

Joining a growing trend, physicians at Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital in Tacoma are trying to unionize.
“ We really want to be able to have a voice, have a seat at the table and work with them and be a little bit more collaborative. And we think this unionization effort is the best way to do that,” said  Derek Tam, a pediatric emergency physician at the hospital.

Read More »