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Nursing Home Fined for Denying Ambulance
7 Jul
Summary
- A nursing home was fined $6,750 for refusing an ambulance for a resident.
- Family members had to drive the critically ill resident to the hospital.
- The facility also faced citations for inadequate care of a dementia patient.
Spencer Post Acute Rehabilitation Center in Clay County, Iowa, has been penalized $6,750 by state inspectors for failing to provide adequate nursing care. A significant citation involved the facility's refusal to call an ambulance for a resident admitted on May 21, 2026, who became ill with nausea and dizziness two days later.
Family members found the resident minimally responsive and insisted on transport to the hospital. When they requested an ambulance, staff claimed it was not possible due to a lack of emergency resources. The family was compelled to use their personal vehicle, a distressing experience for the resident.
Tragically, the resident's son reported his mother was moaning and crying during the car journey and passed away two days after arriving at the hospital. Inspectors also noted the home's inadequate response to a female resident with dementia who exhibited severe breathing difficulties on May 17, 2026.
Paramedics arrived to find the resident with critically low oxygen levels. She was admitted to the ICU in serious condition with multiple diagnoses. The paramedics reportedly stated that facility staff initially downplayed the resident's condition, admitting a significant delay in reporting her worsening state.
