A Madison County nurse is suing an Edwardsville nursing home where she worked, claiming she was fired unfairly for her treatment of a resident.
Dixie D. Bland filed a lawsuit against Team Health LLC and Rosewood Care Center Inc. on Feb. 1 in Madison County Circuit Court.
According to the petition, Bland had worked as a nurse for Rosewood Care Center since October 2005 without incident.
In October 2009, Bland says she had difficulty lifting a resident into a bed. She says she was forced to place the resident on the floor while she asked other staff for help.
Bland claims a medical emergency with another resident required her assistance, so she left the first resident on the floor longer than intended. Another employee of the Edwardsville nursing home found the resident unattended on the floor and alerted management.
Based on the nursing home's policy, Bland contends any punishment for misconduct should have required the use of progressive discipline. However, the nurse says she was fired without consideration of that policy or her explanation of what happened.
Bland accuses Rosewood Care Center of wrongful termination and is asking for more than $50,000 in damages to compensate for lost wages and court costs.
Attorney Greg Roosevelt of Edwardsville is representing Bland.
Madison County Circuit Court Case No. 11-L-101
Nursing home worker claims she was fired for leaving resident on floor
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