Report: Nursing Homes Need Help

Advocates for nursing home residents claim a seminar put on by nursing home operators sought to teach employees how to deceive state inspectors about the quality and level of care. An industry spokesman says patient advocates misrepresented the seminar, titled "Outwit, Outlast, Outplay -- Survive the Survey Process." The seminar was presented at the Arkansas Health Care Association`s fall meeting today. Patient advocates are urging Governor Huckabee to exclude nursing home tort legislation that died during the regular session last spring from a planned December special session on education reform. Nursing home operator Jim Cooper of Melbourne says the seminar involved a registered nurse instructing personnel how to do their jobs, particularly how to give proper incontinence care, with inspectors looking over their shoulders. Posted by Mike Hellgren