LINCOLN, Neb. – A psychiatric hospital in Lincoln may lose its national accreditation due to a security problem.
During an inspection by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations at the Lincoln Regional Center, which treats around 230 patients, an inspector discovered a potential safety risk.
A nurse, who monitors a unit where the most dangerous patients are looked after, was approached by a menacing looking patient requesting his medication. Although the nurse was not harmed, she could not be seen by other employees, which could have been a problem.
Kathie Osterman, a spokeswoman for the state Health and Human Services (HHS), said the state sent a preliminary denial of accreditation to the hospital on Jan. 24. On Feb. 5, the commission’s board will meet to determine whether or not the hospital’s accreditation will be completely pulled. However, Osterman said, HHS is handling the security issue and expects to submit information to the board either before the meeting or during.
According to HHS, the hospital has met 386 of the board’s 397 standards.
