A nursing home has been reported for allowing a patient to catch on fire while smoking unsupervised. The patient was using an oxygen tank and reportedly took a drag of another patient's cigarette. An observer of the incident said it took nursing home staff 10 minutes to reach her. The patient suffered second degree burns and died in the same month.
The report says “the facility failed to report and investigate the event with a resident smoking with oxygen, without supervision, who received second degree burns. … This had the potential to affect other residents who smoked that were on oxygen.” The facility is now considered smoke-free and requires more supervision patients after staff were inserviced on how to monitor and check on patients. The facility was also cited for other failed care issues. For more, read the story.
