Inspection Detail

Inspection: 1503576.015 - Franciscan Communities, Inc.

Inspection Information - Office: Chicago South Area Office

Investigation Summary

On October 8, 2020, an employee who worked as a Assistant Director of Nursing at a continuing care retirement community died from COVID-19. The employee's last day of work was September 14, 2020. The employee called off work at 12:00 a.m. on September 16, 2020, reporting COVID-19 related symptoms including fever, headache, and upper respiratory issues. The employee went to a Primary Care Physician on September 16, 2020, where she tested positive for COVID-19. On that same date, the employee informed her employer of her positive COVID-19 test, as well as her autoimmune disorder (sarcoidosis). The employee also informed her employer that she had been treated for cancer over the past 5 years and her immune system was compromised. The employee reported her attendance at a wedding out of state during the weekend of August 21, 2020, where many guests including close contacts/relations had contracted COVID-19. The employee also informed her employer that she had traveled to the Mayo Clinic out of state the following weekend (August 28, 2020) to see her oncologist. On October 2, 2020, the employee went to the hospital due to her symptoms and was admitted, treated and released on October 3, 2020. On October 4, 2020, the employee went into cardiac arrest at home and was admitted to the hospital again where she remained until she died. The County Medical Examiner reported the primary cause of death as pneumonia and COVID-19 and the secondary cause as cardiac arrest. Information regarding engineering, administrative and personal protective equipment controls for COVID-19 are not included in the narrative.

Keywords: Infectious Disease