(Published Thursday, February 8, 2007 03:32:56 PM CST;
updated Friday, February 09, 2007 11:45:50 AM CST)
A d v e r t i s e m e n t
By Stacy Vogel Gazette staff
Opponents pleaded for more time, but the county nursing home administrator said the time is now to downsize Rock Haven Nursing Home.
The Rock County Board agreed.
Supervisors voted 17-10 in favor of reducing the number of licensed beds at Rock Haven from 156 to 130 after nearly three hours of debate Thursday.
The vote came two days after the health services committee narrowly approved the reduction and about a week after most supervisors found out about the proposal.
Sherry Gunderson, nursing home administrator, drafted the resolution because a nursing shortage has made it unsafe to fill Rock Haven to capacity, she said. The facility is currently short 25 employees.
The Rock Haven Nursing Home will cut the number of licensed beds at the facility from 156 to 130 by March. Rock Haven officials said the facility is running short-handed and fewer residents will mean better care.
Al Hoch/Gazette Staff
No employees will be laid off by the downsizing, but some may move to different positions, Gunderson said.
State surveyors placed Rock Haven in a "sub-standard care" category after they were called to investigate two incidents last year. Both investigations resulted in heavy state and federal fines after surveyors found employees to have acted improperly.
Gunderson described the incidents as isolated but said downsizing would help staff provide better care to residents.
"The literature clearly supports that nursing homes that are 100-125 beds … do best," she said. "When it's smaller, then more members of your team really know how to care for your patients."
The reduction would give more residents private rooms, she said, which would lead to fewer conflicts among residents. It also would allow Gunderson to reorganize Rock Haven staff to better serve the residents, she said.
Sherry Gunderson
But several county board supervisors, community members and Rock Haven employees said they were afraid a reduction would leave potential Rock Haven residents without care. They asked the board to delay a vote until it could examine the issue more thoroughly.
A motion by Supervisor Ivan Collins to table the resolution until the board's March 8 meeting failed 18-9.
Supervisor Marshall Bown seconded the motion.
"If it's a good thing now, it'll be a good thing on March 8, so I think it behooves us to take the time to study it," Bown said.
But Gunderson said conditions were ideal to downsize immediately. The nursing home has 10 vacant beds already, and several short-term residents plan to go home soon, she said. She estimated that the county could complete the reduction by March without involuntarily discharging any residents.
Tabling the resolution would push the actual reduction to April because she must give employees at least 30 days' notice of staff changes, she said.
"It's a huge can of worms, and in the meantime it doesn't resolve any of the staffing issues," she said.
Supervisor Charles Elliott said Gunderson presented plenty of information for the reduction.
"I listened very carefully to what Sherry told us today, and I believe her with all my heart," he said. "I want to move forward quickly, and I urge my fellow supervisors to move quickly."
Gunderson and her staff also will move quickly now that the resolution has passed. Employees will choose new positions next week based on seniority, Gunderson said.
The new positions should take effect March 11, she said.
In favor "We know the future of nursing homes is the smaller size, and we know more people will be cared for in their homes and community settings."-Susan Smyth, registered nurse at Rock Haven
"I've been involved in every downsize that Rock Haven and the Health Care Center has had since 1998 ... It's never been easy."-John Hanewall, Rock Haven social worker and chief steward for local Association of Mental Health Specialists Union
"We anticipate the nursing shortage is going to go on for many years … Now is the time to graspthis opportunity and move forward with this futuristic plan."-Ginger Katzman, head nurse of first-floor unit of Rock Haven
"While demographics may project a need many years in the future, beds alone will not take care of the needs, and that is a greater concern in my mind … We don't have the staff, we can't provide the care."-David Sudmeier, controller in charge of finance at Rock Haven
Opposed "I ask these county board members, slow this process down. Give it a month.
"The baby boomers are coming … In 10 or 15 years, you are going to have (caretakers in the community) who are not qualified to take care of these people."-Shari Burnett, 12-year employee of Rock Haven and president of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 1258
"My concern is having enough beds to meet the needs of county residents if we continue to grow in population … Let's do what's best for our county and continue to grow with it. Let's give our residents the best care they deserve."-Tony Ray, Rock Haven employee, chief steward for local AFSCME chapter
"I have a real concern about downsizing myself because as baby boomers come into the picture here ... we need to have the assurance there's going to be someplace for us to go.-Vic Smith, son of a Rock Haven resident
"I'm not saying, 'No.' I'm just saying, 'Whoa.' What's happening here? Will the county's needs be met if we shut these beds down? Is there going to be a waiting list? Will there be a place for these folks to go?"-Steve Flood, whose wife is a Rock Haven resident
How they voted
How each supervisor voted on the resolution to downsize Rock Haven Nursing Home.
Voting yes: Brad Adee, Eva Arnold, Betty Jo Bussie, Neil Deupree, Stephen Eager, Charles Elliott, Sandra Kraft, Anna Marie Johnson, Lynnette Kepplinger, Mary Mawhinney, Wayne Moody, Richard Ott, Phillip Owens, Adam Peer, Russ Podzilni, Kurtis Yankee, Fred Yoss.
Voting no: William Agnew, Jennifer Bishop, Richard Bostwick, Marshall Bown, Hank Brill, Ivan Collins, Marilynn Jensen, James Joiner, Alan Sweeney, Larry Weidenfeld.
Absent/not voting: Brian Knudson and Jane Thompson.
