CNO report: 12/2006 Sharon Brucker steps down

Here we are in the timeline of troubles starting in Feb. 2006 when the skilled nursing facility was run by Cheif nursing officer, Sharon Brucker, and CEO, Pamela Ott. They were cited for physical restraints, medication errors, understaffing, weight loss of patients, and licensing.

The state's case investigation interestingly begins Aug. 1, 2007 when a director of nursing, named Gwen Hughes was hired. It ends Jan. 25, 2007. The whole investigation runs through the director's whole time employed at KVHD with the SNF.

It doesn't start before that when things were bad enough that threatening letters came from CMS and DHS; and doesn't go into the continuing problems of innocent people being thrown into the administrator position of the nursing center because Ott, Brucker and Hughes had left.

Sharon Brucker stepped down as CNO of acute and long term in Dec. 2006. She had been confronted by employees about problems in the hospital, and a month later she wrote her resignation.

Here is the excerpt: CNO Report December 2006

The report begins with Brucker's version of the last few years. She said she worked at the hospital eight years and saw the hospital struggle financially.
"For over three years my salary and most of the employees at the kern valley healthcare district salaries were frozen. There were a select few that were on good terms with the CEO, which recieved double digit increases."

Brucker goes on to say how the new administrators, Ott, and CFO Chet Beedle turned the district around financially.
"All these changes come about from wisely made decisions, not by accident. During this positive time, I have also been aware of a divisive member of the board of directors."

Brucker begins to blame, Knight, for all the problems.
"Much of his attention was regularly made on 17 million dollar debt incurred by this hospital district when it built the skilled nursing wing."

Brucker said Knight was angry for being removed when Cal Mtg. took over and brought in the management company, BRIM, who hired Pam Ott.
"Is it logical to think that Cal Mtg. would allow bankruptcy when there are significant assets at hand and a positive cash balance?"

(Well, Mrs. Brucker, as you said that was not the case when you first arrived. What is not mentioned is the 22 million dollar debt was for an unfinished, botched construction project which didn't get finished. And it was inherited by others who had to struggle with it. At the time bankruptcy would have been well timed.)

To finally make her point that everyone is good except the Knights, she accuses the former CEO and board member, of everything from the downfall of measure M, to the faulty architectural drawings.

That was Mrs. Bruckers resignation speech. Nothing in there about why she resigned, just a lot of talk.

Speaking of talk, why did you leave really, Mrs. Brucker?