Troubling allegations surface at a Nevada veterans nursing home, with a lawsuit claiming patient safety was compromised and staff faced retaliation for speaking out. Discover the shocking details behind the claims of negligence and misconduct. What truly happened behind those closed doors?
A recent and wide-ranging lawsuit has brought to light alarming allegations of patient endangerment and systematic staff retaliation at a state-run veterans nursing home in Southern Nevada, casting a critical shadow over the Nevada Department of Veterans Services (NDVS). This legal action, initiated by former employees, claims that agency officials fostered a culture where resident safety was compromised and those who dared to voice concerns faced severe professional repercussions.
The legal battle, originally filed by Eli Quiñones, a former administrator of the Boulder City nursing home, has significantly expanded to include three additional ex-employees and a contractor. These plaintiffs are seeking a jury trial and substantial damages, aiming to recover lost benefits and compensation for profound suffering, including “mental anguish and loss of enjoyment of life,” stemming from what they describe as unlawful terminations and “sham” investigations.
This civil suit emerges against a backdrop of prior scrutiny, following a Nevada State Police investigation launched last year into the agency. Interviews conducted during that inquiry reportedly focused on the hostile workplace environment and leadership failures within the 180-bed Southern Nevada facility, which provides crucial 24-hour care to veterans, their spouses, and Gold Star parents.
Among the key figures named in the ongoing lawsuit are Fred Wagar, the former agency director, and Corine Watson, the director of nursing at the veterans home. While some complaints against Wagar and Watson in their official capacities were withdrawn, the allegations persist against them in their individual capacities, underscoring the serious nature of the *legal allegations* leveled against them.
Specifically, the lawsuit details grave accusations against Corine Watson, alleging her refusal to implement essential COVID-19 testing for staff and residents. This alleged negligence reportedly led to a significant outbreak in November 2022, tragically resulting in the deaths of three patients. Further claims include Watson’s purported failure to properly oversee staff providing wound care to residents, with reports of such critical misconduct going unaddressed, directly impacting *patient safety* at the facility.
Another disturbing anecdote within the lawsuit describes a plaintiff being subjected to an investigation after refusing to “violate the laws and regulations for electronic medical recordkeeping.” Compounding this professional retaliation, the plaintiff was inexplicably barred from visiting the veterans home, where her own mother resided, for approximately four months—an act the lawsuit attributes to a “personal vendetta and personal spite.”
The extensive filing also reveals multiple other unsettling claims, including an alleged failure to report patient abuse according to proper protocols, a perceived lack of understanding of federal nursing procedures, and deliberate actions to obstruct plaintiffs’ efforts to report or investigate wrongdoing. Additionally, it highlights concerns over altered protocols for maintaining discontinued narcotics, which the lawsuit contends “introduced much more room for error,” jeopardizing the well-being of Nevada veterans.
This *nursing home lawsuit* underscores critical issues within *veterans affairs* care, spotlighting the urgent need for stringent oversight and accountability in institutions dedicated to those who served. The allegations of widespread *staff retaliation* and compromised *patient safety* demand a thorough examination, ensuring that such vital facilities truly uphold their mission to protect and honor our veterans.
