Resident Rights

Listed on below are the rights given to all residents of this facility (Resident Bill of Rights).  The rights will be reviewed with you and/or your Responsible Party upon your admission and periodically during your stay.  It is important for you to know and understand your rights so that you are able to identify any situation that interferes with your rights as a resident.  If such a situation should exist, the Administration and staff requests that you make this known immediately so that it can be rectified.  You may also choose to file a complaint with a state protection agency (listed below) about suspicions of abuse, neglect, misappropriation of property or noncompliance with advance directives.

NURSING HOME ADVOCACY GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS
The Administration and staff of Sunnycrest strives to resolve concerns and complaints within the facility but when this is not possible, the following agencies and organizations have oversight of the nursing homes in Iowa and/or advocate on behalf of all nursing home residents.

SUNNYCREST ADMINISTRATOR
Cathy Hedley
Sunnycrest Manor
2375 Roosevelt St.
Dubuque, IA  52001
583-1781

YOUR RIGHTS AS A RESIDENT AT SUNNYCREST

Sunnycrest Manor maintains policies, procedures and ongoing programs to ensure that the rights of each resident are protected by all personnel.

RESIDENT BILL OF RIGHTS

You have the right:

• To receive considerate, respectful care and to be treated with honesty, dignity, respect, and be provided with a safe, clean homelike environment and to exercise your rights as a citizen.
   
• To be free from physical, verbal, sexual or mental abuse, corporal punishment, involuntary seclusion or neglect.
   
• To be free of any physical restraints or chemical drugs administered for purposes of discipline or convenience.
   
• To retain and use personal possessions, including furnishings, and appropriate clothing, as space permits.
   
• Not to be relocated within the facility, transferred or discharged arbitrarily.  You and your legal representative or interested family member has the right to receive notice before your room or roommate in the facility is changed.
   
• To be informed orally and in writing in a language that you understand of all of your legal rights at the time of admission and to be kept informed of changes in these rights.
   
• Be informed of all services provided by the facility and any charges for services not covered by respective insurances or the daily nursing rate.
   
• Of access to and confidential handling of the your medical or personal records as provided by law.
   
• To be fully informed in a language that you can understand of your total health status, including but not limited to, your medical condition.
   
• To examine the results of the most recent survey of the facility.
   
• To have physicians, legal representatives or an interested family member notified within 24 hours of any injury or significant change of condition or treatment.
   
• To select medical and dental care providers.
   
• If not adjudged incompetent, to participate in the planning of and changes in the your total care and medical treatment, to make choices based upon the information provided, and be informed of medical consequences if treatment is refused.
   
• To refuse treatment, and participation in experimental research.
   
• To self-administer drugs unless the interdisciplinary team has determined for you that this practice is unsafe.
   

For pain management, you can expect:

• your reports of pain to be believed
• information about pain and pain relief measures
• concerned staff committed to pain prevention
• health professionals who respond quickly to reports of pain
• “state of the art” pain management
• Access to dedicated pain relief specialists
• To manage your personal finances if you choose or to designate another party to manage them for you
   
• To physical and emotional privacy, and confidential communication by mail and telephone.
   
• To file a complaint or recommend change regarding policy, care and services, and to have them reviewed and when possible, resolved.
   
• To participate in social, religious, and community group activities unless medically contraindicated.
   
• To refuse to perform services for the facility or other residents not related to your therapeutic plan of care.
   
• To be visited by persons representing any federal or state agencies, state ombudsman representative, family, relatives, or others with your consent.
   
• To organize and participate in resident groups in the facility.
   
• For notice, agency hearing, and the provision of counseling and discharge planning prior to any involuntary discharge or transfer.
   
• To have your bed held during absences due to medical treatment and/or therapeutic reasons and upon payment of the prescribed charge for the bed.
   
• Not be discriminated against by the facility in any way based on your source of payment.
   
• If competent, to formulate advance directives and designate a legal surrogate.
   

To be informed orally and in writing in a language that you understand about how to apply for and use financial assistance, and how to receive refunds for previous payments covered by such benefits.


All of these rights and responsibilities shall devolve to your next-of-kin, guardian, or sponsoring agency(ies) should you become adjudicated incompetent pursuant to law.

This statement contains the general rights of each resident and is not all inclusive.  Specific provisions implementing these general rights are included in Sunnycrest’s policies and procedures which are available upon request.


GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE
Sunnycrest Manor does not discriminate against any persons regardless of race, color, sex, national origin, religion or disability.  If you feel your civil rights or resident rights have been violated, you may file a complaint in the office of the Sunnycrest Administrator.  The complaint should be filed within 30 days of awareness of the alleged discriminatory act.  The complaint should be in writing and contain the name and address of the person filing it and briefly describe the discriminatory act.  The Administrator will conduct an investigation and issue a written decision no later than 30 days after the filing.  An individual who files a complaint may pursue other remedies as well, including filing a complaint with:

The Office of Civil Rights
Department of Health and Human Services
Room 248, 601 East 12th Street
Kansas City, MO  64106