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Senate passed a bill that pushes for greater protection of senior citizens in nursing homes

April 10, 2003
By: Nishi Gupta
State Capital Bureau

Missouri nursing home patients will be protected from abusive and negligent caretakers under a bill that passed the Senate.

Nishi Gupta has the story.

The legislation would target employees who don't treat the elderly patients with the care they need. But it would also protect the employees who report violations of sub-standard care. Negligent and abusive nursing home workers could be fined up to ten thouand dollars and penalized with a misdemeanor or felony. Bill co-sponsor and St. Louis City area Senator Pat Dougherty says keeping the elderly in mind is important, and so is holding workers accountable.

Actuality: NUR1G.wav
RunTime: 15
OutCue: "provide quality care."
Contents: "What we have are a series of of protections for our elderly in the nursing homes. But probably more importantly is that it will be sending a clear message to those who don't really get it- that their job is to provide quality care."

The bill requires the state to do background checks on nursing home job applicants. It would also require the Deparment of Health to post recent inspections of nursing homes on the internet.

The bill's passage comes two after getting initial approval in the Senate. It now goes to the House for consideration.

From Jefferson City, Nishi Gupta, KMOX News.