King Veterans Home audit: a lot of nursing overtime

Posted at 1:30 p.m. on August 25, 2017

The Brillion News

MADISON – The state’s Legislative Audit Bureau issued its report on the audit it performed on the operations of the state Veterans’ Home at King, in Waupaca County.

The report said that King relies a lot on overtime work by full-time staff and extra hours by part-time staff.

Some of the key findings reported by auditors:

1. Most of King’s residents were white male military veterans over age 70.

2. The percentage of residents with post-traumatic stress disorder rose 262 percent from 2007 to 2016.

3. King actually exceeds the minimum number of direct care hours per patient, per day, that are required by federal standards.

4. Between 2012 and 2016, King receiver fewer citations than other skilled nursing facilities in the state.

5. King employees raised concerns about how overtime is assigned, employee morale and management responsiveness to employee complaints.

The audit makes eight points that it feels must be addressed by the Department of Veterans Affairs by January 8, 2018. Most have to do with staff shortages, response to resident complaints, employee and supervisor training, and employees morale.