State inspectors have cited a Perry, Iowa nursing home following an incident involving a diabetic resident who suffered life-threatening complications. Despite the resident’s condition, the on-duty staff nurse allegedly refused to call emergency services. The nurse’s failure to act resulted in the resident’s family member stepping in to intervene.
Family Member Discovers Unresponsive Resident
The resident’s family member arrived at Perry Lutheran Home around 6:40 p.m. to visit, but instead found their relative, a known diabetic, slumped over in her chair and unresponsive. The resident’s blood sugar had dropped to 27, which is well below the dangerous threshold of 54 that requires immediate medical intervention. Another critical point worth mentioning is that the on-duty staff failed to do the resident’s scheduled blood sugar check and also failed to administered the two insulin injections she was supposed to receive at 4 p.m. that day.
Nurse Allegedly Refuses Emergency Call
Due to the state of the resident, the relative intervened and asked the staff nurse to call 911, but the nurse allegedly refused to make the call, saying it was not proper protocol. The nurse also told the relative to make the call herself and left the room to search for an emergency kit containing medication for low blood sugar. Multiple staff members joined the search, which lasted approximately 15 minutes, but they were not able to find any emergency kit.
Police and Paramedics Provide Life-Saving Care
The family member called 911 at 7 p.m., and the police dispatcher provided instructions for lowering the resident to the floor. When asked about a defibrillator, a nursing assistant reportedly did not know if one was available in the building. Police officers arrived and began cardiopulmonary resuscitation at the family member’s urging. When paramedics arrived, they administered glucose-stimulating medication. The resident became responsive before being transported to a hospital.
State inspection reports indicate the nurse on duty never returned to assist while the family member, police, and paramedics worked to revive the resident.
Pattern of Prior Blood Sugar Problems
Inspectors reviewing medical records discovered three prior occasions in August 2025 where the same resident’s blood sugar was recorded between 55 and 68, all considered potentially harmful levels requiring intervention.
Facility Faces Increased Penalties for Repeat Violations
According to a recent news report, The Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing initially proposed a fine of $6,750. However, because this incident was a repeated serious violation, the penalty was tripled to $20,250. This marks the third time in two years that Perry Lutheran Home has faced triple fines for repeated serious violations.
Previous citations at the facility include failing to report a sexual incident between two residents who could not consent in December 2023, inadequate supervision that contributed to a resident’s fatal brain injury after nine falls in January 2024, and failure to send a resident to an emergency room for changed conditions in November 2024.
When You Need Legal Help for a Loved One in a Nursing Home. Call PKSD
Families should be able to trust nursing homes to provide appropriate medical care and emergency response when their loved ones experience a medical crisis. When facilities and their staff fail to meet acceptable standards of care, it could put your loved one at risk for serious or fatal harm.
If your loved one was injured due to inadequate medical care or delayed emergency response at an Iowa or Wisconsin nursing home, PKSD can help you understand your legal rights. Our knowledgeable nursing home injury attorneys have been helping injured nursing home victims for decades. We are deeply committed to holding at fault facilities and their staff accountable for their negligence.
If you suspect nursing home abuse or negligence, call PKSD today. Your case evaluation is completely risk-free, and when we represent you, there are also no upfront fees or out-of-pocket costs. PKSD currently accepts nursing home injury cases in Wisconsin, Iowa, and New Mexico.
Call PKSD for legal Help After a Nursing Home Injury. 414-333-3333
